IsTew York Agricultural Experiment Station. 395 



in about fifteen days after their emergence. The adults are motion- 

 less during the daytime, but with the approach of night they fly 

 gently for short distances in a zig-zag course. The larvae of padellus 

 apparently do not have the mining habit; but, aside from the fact 

 that they do not burrow into the leaves of their favorite host plants, 

 as hawthorn, plum, etc., the life history and habits of this insect 

 are similar to those of the above moth. 



OCCURRENCE OF ERMINE MOTHS IN NEW YORK. 



THE DISCOVERY. 



The discovery of padellus in the State of New York was due to 

 the close supervision of foreign importations of nursery stock during 

 the spring of 1909 by the agents of the Division of Nursery Inspec- 

 tion of the New York Department of Agriculture. Special pre- 

 cautions were observed this year with such stock, which have since 

 been followed, because many nests of the notorious " brown-tail 

 moth " {Euprodis chrysorrJicea L.) were detected among the ship- 

 ments, a source of danger from this insect which was not fully 

 appreciated until this experience. After the setting out of the plants, 

 the plantations were frequently examined for the appearance of 

 destructive insects. Nothing was noted to arouse any suspicion 

 until June 23 when Mr. John Maney, an official nursery inspector, 

 detected three cherry seedlings completely covered with webs. The 

 unfamiliar appearance of the nests and the enclosed caterpillars, 

 coupled with the fact that the specimens were taken from foreign 

 nursery stock, influenced him to bring the material to the Depart- 

 ment of Entomology of this Station for identification. The planta- 

 tion, from which the insects were obtained was inspected again 

 several times, and on June 24 five more infested cherry seedlings 

 were secured. Examinations were made a little later in this and 

 other similar plantings in different parts of the State to find more 

 specimens of the caterpillars or traces of the insect but without 

 success. 



IDENTIFICATION OF SPECIES. 



Nearly all the material collected during 1909 was immediately 

 destroyed to avoid taking chances on the escape of any of the insects. 

 Some caterpillars, however, were reared in the laboratory to obtain 

 a few adults in order that the species should be correctly determined. 

 Six moths were obtained, which were compared with descriptions 

 by various authorities, and the insect was identified as Yponomcuia 

 padellus L. A statement to that effect was published in a technical 

 periodical.^ To make certain the identity of the species which we 



» Jour. Econ. Ent., 2: 305. 1909. 



