178 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



damage to apple trees was reported from Wisconsin in 1882. The larvse in all pro- 

 bability feed on the roots of the trees. 



THE MOTTLED UMBER MOTH 

 {Hibernia defoliaria, L.). 



Attack. — Slender loope-s or " measuring 

 worms," found on plum and cherry trees; IJ 

 inches in length, with chestnut red heads, dark 

 reddish brown backs, mottled with broken nar- 

 row black lines, the lowest distinct and waved; 

 the sides bright yellow, paler beneath, including 

 the lege. There is a dark reddish patch shaded 

 with black, surrounding each spiracle. 



Some years ago a few specimens of the Mottled 

 Umber Moth, the well-known apple tree pest 

 of England, were taken at Victoria, B.C., by 

 Fig. 15. -The Mottled Umber Moth. ^^^ jj^^ George W. Taylor, and since then a 



few more specimens have been taken by Mr. W. H. Danby of the same place. In 

 June last I received from the latter gentleman a consignment of caterpillars, which 

 may be described in general as above. He wrote : — 



*' June 20. — I send you herewith some caterpillars which feed mostly on cherry 

 and plum trees. This species is just now rather a prominent nuisance in orchards — 

 what is it?" In acknowledging these specimens, it was surmised that they might 

 be the caterpillars of the Mottled Umber Moth, and Mr. Danby was requested to be 

 on the look out for the moths. I have since received the following notes: — 



" November 10. — 1 think you are right as to the larvse I sent you : for I to-day 

 caught a fine specimen of H. defoliaria. This moth is very uncertain in its appear- 

 ance. I have seen none since the few I mentioned to you in 1889, but I expect to 

 ' get more within a week or two." 



" November 20. — I send yon some very fine males of H. defoliaria. I took no 

 less than 98 males, but only one female. This latter is quite the regular apterous 

 female of the English defoliaria ; but some of the males are very dark, and some 

 very much suffused. I have asfine a series for my collection as it is possible to get. 

 This moth occurs very rarely for a few years, and then like other pests is very 

 common. All I took I got in one day, since which none have appeared." 



** December 7. — H. defoliaria was wonderfully plentiful this year as compared 

 with other seasons. During June and early in July the larvae were a pest in most 

 plum and cherry orchards. They seemed to prefer the plum. Apple trees grow- 

 ing close to plum and cherry ti-ees were not attacked ; nor can I find from such 

 inquiries as I have made, that the larvae were seen by any one on apple trees. I 

 will, however, make careful observations on this point next year. The moths were 

 very abundant in the latter half of November. The sexes seemed to average 1 

 female to 6 males. The electric lights proved a great attraction to the males: I 

 collected on one morning eight dozen on the walls and doorways of two hotels, 

 which had been attracted by the lights; and more or less were to be found for 

 several days afterwards." 



The caterpillars sent me by Mr. Danby were received at Ottawa on June 28th, 

 and were full-grown. They pupated in a few days, most of them on the surface of 

 the ground, but some a short distance beneath. A few specimens were parasitised by 

 a Tachinid fly. The first moth, a male, emerged on November 27th, so that the 

 pupal stage lasted almost five months. The pupa is smooth, dark reddish brown, 

 nearly f of an inch in length, and has the lastsegment terminated with a stout spine. 

 The male moth is of a dull ochre-brown hue, expanding If inches, and has the 

 upper wings dotted and crossed diagonally by two dark waved bands ; the space 

 between these is pale and bears on each wing a dark discal spot ; the lower wings 

 are paler than the upper, and like them sprinkled with brown dots and they have a 

 dark spot near the middle. The female moth is brown with two rows of conspic- 

 uous spots down the back. The wings are almost entirely aborted. 



