Packaed.] the POPULATIO]^ OF A:N" apple tree. 187 



Fig. 140. 



wing is a bhick oval spot. The caterpillar I have not de- 

 teoted. It is described, however, l)y Dr. Clemens as being 

 dark 3'ellowish green, tinged with reddish in front, with a 

 brown head, ft w-as found feeding externally on the leaves, 

 late in September. Early in October it changes to a chrysa- 

 lis within a long wdiite cocoon, slenderer, but about as long 

 as a grain of rice ; it is tough and thick, and ribbed exter- 

 nally. It is a common object, found attached to the bark 

 of the tree in May as well as the autumn and winter. These 

 little moths are not exempt from parasitic ichneumons of 

 exceeding minuteness, which send them to an early grave. 

 Indeed the mortality among moths is greatest during their 

 childhood, when they are in the chrysalis state. While a 

 few caterpillars, like very many hu- 

 man children, die of over-eating, the 

 greater number of deaths are due to 

 causes beyond the control of the cat- 

 erpillar. In Europe, twelve hundred 

 species of minute, chalcid ichneumon 

 flies are known to exist, and of tliese 

 many prey on tlic Tineids. I have 

 found a most singular form preying 

 on the Bucculatrix of the cedar {B. 

 thiciella, Fig. 140, enlarged ; a, co- 

 coon, natural size), which closel}' 

 resembles the apple moth. In endeavoring to rear the moth 

 from the cocoon I found that nearly half of the cocoons 

 gathered from a cedar tree in mj^ 3'ard, failed to give out 

 their appropriate tenant, but instead, rendered account in 

 the form of minute beautifully brilliant green flies, with 

 golden metallic tints. The antennae branched out like the 

 antlers of a reindeer, each having at the end five branches, 

 somewhat resembling a Jai)anese comb. These little flies 

 are wortli far more than their weight in gold, and were their 

 worth duly appreciated our gardeners would look upon the 



27 



Bucculatinc' tluiielhi. 



