404 



ANNUAL REPORT OF THE 



Off. Doc. 



THE PEACH-TREE BORER. 



(Sanninoidea exitiosa Say.) 



The Peach tree borer is one of the most serious enemies with which 

 peach growers in this country have to contend. Much attention 

 has recently been paid to this insect and many experiments have been 



Fig. 8. — Peach Tree Borer. Plum root showing woi'k of borer; 2 a. 

 pupa case; b, male moth ; c, female moth ; 3, two grubs somewhat enlarged 

 (From Sirrine.) 



made with a view to protecting the trees from its altacks, the re- 

 sults of which have somewhat changed our ideas as to the best 

 methods to follow. 



Life History. 



The adult borer is a rather pretty, clear- winged moth, rarely seen 

 by the peach grower. It appears in Pennsylvania early in June and 

 lays its eggs on the bark of the peach tree, preferably near the 

 ground, though they are sometimes placed as far up as the crotches 

 of the lower branches. The egg soon hatches into a little grub 

 which eats its way through the bark to the sapwood where it lives 

 till fall, its feeding causing the production of masses of gum on the 

 bark just outside where the borer is at work. At the approach of 

 winter the grub ceases its work, but resumes operations again the 

 following spring, and feeds until about the last of May or until it is 

 full grown, when it is about an inch long. It then forms a quiet 



