GUM-TREE MOTH. 119 



CHAPTER CXXVIII. 



Gum-tree Moth. 

 (Rceselia lugens, Walker.) 

 Order: Lepidopera. Family: Arctiidce, 

 This moth is of a small ^ownish-grey colour and is of 

 the size of Figs. IV. and V. of our plate. The eggs are 

 deposited on the leaves of the gum trees, especially those 

 iowng in plantations. When hatched, the young larv* 

 legTn to feed, and. as they increase in size, they do an 

 Almost incredible amount of damage to the trees them- 

 selves Rg! I. shows the manner in which the epidermis 

 „t ont'er covering of the leaves is eaten, and if the grubs be 

 n r ot° kded 7 ft shippings will usually comp ete the 

 destruction of at least the upper portions of the tree 

 attacked This pest is particularly numerous in the 

 n antations near Sunbury and elsewhere and is perhaps 

 Se worst of all the smaller insect pests of our gum trees. 

 It wl formerly known by the name of Nola lugens, and is 

 an oW enemy of the gum trees. In some parts of the 

 State the tops of the Eucalypti appear from a distance as 

 though a fire had passed through them. 



The larva, of the Cup Moth are also very des £»*£» 

 this respect. Some new facts regarding the Cup uotti 

 have lately been investigated by my Branch. It was 

 found that the water sjply of an "^*f ,— £ 

 district was becoming black, and unfit fox use On 

 investigating the matter, it was found that on the foliage 

 rfSeSrcJLftf growing near and hanging over the race 

 were hunS of grub* rf the Cup Moth, whose excreta 

 haT badly fouled fhe .water. The cause w« .previously 

 ascribed to the dredging up-stream. Mr. French, ]un., 



