THE CABBAGE MOTH. 157 



CHAPTER XXXVIII. 



THE CABBAGE MOTH. 



{Plutella cruciferarum. Zell.) 



Order: Lepidoptera. Section: Heterocera. Group: Tineina. 



This very destructive pest is one that causes an 

 immense amount of damage, and amongst market 

 gardeners throughout many parts ot the world the losses 

 occasioned through the attacks of these insects are 

 enormous. 



The " Cabbage Moth," " Diamond-back Moth," and 

 " Green Worm of Cabbage " are one and the same 

 insect. 



This is an insect on which a good deal has been 

 written, and a vast amount of useful and valuable infor- 

 mation published, the latest being a very able report 

 prepared by Mr. Charles Whitehead, F.L.S., for the 

 Intelligence Department of the Board of Agriculture, 

 London, 1891, and from which I have taken the liberty of 

 quoting freely, the author having kindly presented me 

 with a copy of said report. 



This little moth, the natural size of which is given in 

 Fig. 2, is of a light greyish-brown colour, the secondary 

 or inferior wings, as we will call them, being grey, 

 fringed, and to the ordinary observer would appear to 

 be very ragged and flimsy. 



Wlien these moths, which are remarkably active, are 

 at rest, their wings are closed very tightly, and at their 

 termination turn up a little, so that this particular species 

 cannot easily be mistaken for any other kind. This rule, 

 however, does not always hold good, as there are a few 

 other kinds whose wings turn up in a somewhat similar 

 manner. When an infested plant, cabbage, or whatever 

 it may be is touched, the little brutes fly up in clouds, 



