170 



THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



THE PEACH TWIG-BORER. 



AiKiisid liiHdtclhi Z'.'H. (Family (Ji-lefhiidsB). 

 (Figs. 154-156.) 



General Appearance. — The adults of this insect are seldom if ever 

 observed l\v the average orchardist. They are small, between one 

 fourth and one half inches long, and dark silvery gray in color. The 

 presence of the larva^ is easily told in the spring by the dying-back of 

 the young buds and twigs. The larvffi are small, scarcely more than one 

 half an inch long when full grown. The color varies from pink or 

 dusky white to dark brown or almost black. The cocoons are dark 

 brown and are hid away in small protected places. 



Fig. 154. — The peach twig-borer 

 (Ancnsia luieatella Zell. ) in winter 

 quarters, a, twig, showing in crotcli 

 minute masses of chewed bark above 

 the larval chambers ; b, same, much 

 enlarged ; c, larval cell enlarged ; d, 

 larva greatly enlarged. (U. S. Dept. of 

 Agrcl. ) 



Life History. — The adults lay the eggs giving rise to the hibernating 

 larviE after August. These over-wintering caterpillars make minute 

 burrows in the bark in which to hibernate. They are very small but 

 their chambers are quite easily located by the minute piles of frass 

 above (Fig. 154). In the spring as soon as the leaf buds open the 

 larvae leave their winter quarters and at once begin to bore into the 

 new buds or shoots, completely killing them (Fig. 156). They often 

 appear in such great numbers as to do much damage. They reach 

 maturity about May and pupate in cracks or crevices of the bark. 

 Their hiding places are easily located by a loose white web spun over 

 the entrance by the larva^ before pupation takes place (Fig. 155). 

 Within a week or so the adults emerge and deposit their eggs at the 

 bases of the young shoots, the larvae beginning to work upon them as 

 soon as hatched. These summer caterpillars also bore into the fruit 

 and cause much destruction in this way. They pupate in the fall and 

 emerge as adults in time to deposit the eggs, giving rise to the hibernat- 

 ing young, which begin to appear in September. There are three gener- 

 ations a vear — the hibernating winter brood and two summer broods. 



