586 STATE BOARD OP AGRICULTURE. 



forth as an adult. The larva or caterpillar is about one-half an inch long, 

 yellowish-green in color, with the head and neck yellow and darker, 

 the head marked with a crescent-shaped black spot. The pupa is about 

 one-third of an inch long, brown, with a rounded knob-like projection in 

 front of head. The adult is ash-grey in color, the front wings deeply 

 colored and glossy, with a few reddish scales scattered over them spar- 

 ingly and not giving the appearance of .spots. The hind wings are of the 

 same color but lighter, with a narrow fringe. The wings spread about 

 one-half an inch. 



Our attention was called to this insect bv Prof. U. P. Hedrick, then 

 State Inspector of Nurseries and Orchards, who sent us specimens and 

 who kindly furnished us with the result of his observations. In the south- 

 eastern part of the State the leaves folded by this insect were numerous 

 and the damage considerable, but as yet we have not heard of it from 

 any other part of the State. 



Several parasites are known to infest the leaf-tyer, and Prof. Hed- 

 rick assures us that he has seen flocks of blackbirds (probably the rusty 

 grackle) feeding on the pupae, neatly picking them out of their shelters 

 and destroying them so completely that it was impossible to procure a 

 good set of specimens. 



When it becomes necessary to destroy these leaf-tyers, it can be ac- 

 complished by repeatedly spraying with Paris-green when the larva? are 

 very young. See chapter on insecticides. 



THE BUD-MOTH. 



(T')w tocera ocellana.) 



Early in spring, just as they commence to swell and open, the buds of 

 the apple, pear, plum, cherry, quince and peach-trees are sometimes at- 

 tacked by a small, naked caterpillar about one-fifth of an inch long and 

 dirty white in color. The head and thoracic shield are black or very dark 

 brown. These caterpillars voraciously devour the opening buds and 

 later feed on the tender leaves, binding several of them together at the 

 end of a shoot. In this nest the caterpillar lives and feeds, after a time 

 attaining half an inch in size. Specimens sent us from Bad Axe, Mich., 

 and placed in breeding-cages, became full-grown about June 11. On 

 June 15, they pupated inside the nest of leaves. On June 28, they com- 

 menced to emerge as ashy-grey winged 

 moths, expanding about three-fifths of an 

 inch from tip to tip of their wings. This deli- 

 cate little moth (Fig. 17) is very prettily 

 marked near the center of each fore-wing 

 with a large, ill-defined creamy spot, while 

 the base and tip of the wing are marked with 

 black and dull blue. The hind wings and the 

 abdomen are grey. According to Professor 

 fig. it. Bud Moth (Tmetocera ocet Slingerland,* the moths lav their eggs three 



lana); n. moid; b, larva: c, puna. » , -, . * ,f° ., 



or four days after emerging, usually on the 

 under side of the leaves. They are described by him as transparent, flat, 



♦ Bull. 50, Cornell University Ag. Exp. Sia.. March. 1893, being a detailed history of the Hud- 

 moth and its ravages. 



