'New Yokk Ageicultubal Experiment Station. 409 



Treatment. — The only available time for effective treatment is 

 just before the buds begin to swell, the object being to cover the 

 buds with poison so that the young caterpillars will be poisoned 

 as they gnaw into the bud. To make the work thorough, two ap- 

 plications will usually be required. Paris green or some other 

 good arsenical should be used. If it is desired to treat the trees 

 for apple scab, Bordeaux mixture may be combined with the Paris 

 green for either of the above treatments. See page 417. 



CASE BEARERS. 

 PISTOL-CASE-BEAEEE.^ CIGAR-CASE-BEARER. 



{Coleophora malivorella Riley.) (Coleophora fletcherella Fern.) 



During the past three or four years these two insects have be- 

 come very troublesome in this State. Their principal food plant 

 is the apple, but they also feed upon the pear and quince and 

 probably other fruit trees. The life histories of the two species 

 are very similar. That of the pistol-case-bearer is as follows : 



Descriptions and life history. — The young caterpillars live over 

 winter in little pistol-shaped cases of silk which are attached on 

 end to the twigs usually near and sometimes upon the buds. 

 These cases measure about one-eighth of an inch in length and 

 resemble the bark in color. The winter cases of the cigar-case- 

 bearer are more flattened laterally and are somewhat crescent 

 shaped. They are also lighter in color and are more frequently 

 found in sheltered places in the angles of the twigs. 



Early in the spring, a short time before the leaf buds burst, 

 the hibernating case-bearers become active. They attack the 

 growing buds gnawing through the outer covering to feed on t1ie 

 tender tissues beneath. Later in the season they feed on the 

 young leaves making small round holes through the cuticle and 

 feeding, in much the same manner as a true leaf miner, on the 

 softer tissues beneath. In doing this the caterpillars do not usu- 

 ally leave their cases but reach out as far as necessary. As they 



* This species is discussed in detail by Lowe, in Bulletin 122 of this Station, 



