39 



NOTES OF THE YEAR. 



BY \VM. SAUNDERS, LONDON, ONT. 



The Army Worm {Heliophila unipunctd). 



This troublesome insect has appeared in several sections of our Province during the 

 past year, and although it has not occurred in such hordes as in times past, yet its 

 numbers were sufficiently great during the latter part of the season to excite apprehen- 

 sion of the probability of a more severe invasion during the coming summer. Towards 

 the end of the warm weather the moths were very abundant, and could be captured 

 by hundreds by preparing a bait of molasses and beer, and painting it on fence boards or 

 trees early in the evening. 



The moth, when its wings are spread, measures nearly an inch and three- 

 quarters. It is of a yellowish drab colour, approaching russet, with a small white dot on 

 the forewings near the middle, and a dusky oblique stripe near the tip, and a few blackish 

 dots over their surface. The hind wings are darker, with a silky lustre, and almost semi- 

 transparent. The fore part of the body is similar in colour to the fore-wings, the hinder 

 part a little darker than the hind wings. 



The worm when full grown, measures about an inch and a half in length, is 

 of a dark grey colour, with yellowish and dusky longitudinal stripes. They sometimes 

 appear in immense swarms, devouring whole fields of grain and other grasses during their 

 progress. 



The Gooseberry Fruit Worm {Pempelia grossularia). 



This troublesome pest is increasing rapidly from year to year, and committing 

 great havoc among the gooseberries. We have had many complaints from fruitgrowers 

 during the past season of their destructiveness, with inquiries as to the best methods 

 of counteracting their ravages- One of our correspondents, Mr. B. Gott, of Arkona, has 

 so well erplained the workings of this insect, that we think it best in this connection to 

 quote his own words. He says " for some time past we have suffered from the depreda- 

 tions of a worm upon our gooseberries, and not having observed anything in type treat- 

 ing upon this particular insect, I thought it advi.sable to acquaint you with the facts of 

 the case. While the gooseberry is yet young and tender, say about the size of a pea, a 

 small worm appears and eats its way into the heart of the berry and becomes of a green- 

 ish colour. After living there for some time and scooping clean the contents of that 

 berry, it will attack the next nearest berry and secure itself effectually against accident or 

 danger by a sort of net or web-work thrown around and over those berries, at the same 

 time growing in length and strength and prospering everyway as satisfactorily as insect 

 could desire. About the time that gooseberries are nearly ripe, say during the Utter part 

 of July, it has attained its full dimensions as a devouring larva, and is about one inch or 

 one and a quarter in length with six claw-like feet towards the head. By this time it has 

 enclosed some ten or twelve berries in its capacious web to satisfy its voracious and in- 

 creasing demands, .scooping all out thoroughly. 



" The worms work by thousands on our plantations of a few hundred bushes and de- 

 stroy from one-half to two-thirds of the entire crop of berries. Now as this fruit is of 

 considerable value and importance, this insect depredation is felt to be something more 

 than a benefit. It amounts to more than thinning ; it is an actual loss to the grower, and 



