SMALL ERMINE IMOTH. 



27 



of the infestation is in all probability liand-iyicking. The 

 thorough destruction of leafage is a guide to where to look 

 for the cause, and the size of the caterpillars makes them 

 observable. From the rarity of the attack and the beauty 

 of the specimens they are often welcome additions to the 

 collections of amateur entomologists or to "naturalists" for 

 sale, and a hint of the presence of the attack in an ap^Dropriate 

 neighbouring quarter might very likely bring a thorough 

 clearance without any expense to owner of the infested trees. 



Small Ermine Moth. 



Hyponomeuta padelius, Linn. ; H. variabilis, Zell. 



Hyponomeuta padellus. — Small Ermine Apple Moth, caterpillar, and cocoons, 

 life size ; and caterpillar, much magnified. 



The presence of this infestation on orchard or garden fruit 

 trees is as observable as that of the Lackey Moth from the 

 similar habit of the caterpillars of living together in large 

 numbers and spinning web-nests as a kind of family shelter, 

 and the same kind of treatment is applicable to each attack. 



In 1888 caterpillars of the Small Ermine Moths swarmed 

 to such an extent on the trees in the Fruit Grounds at 

 Toddington, in Gloucestershire, that in the early part of the 

 summer Capt. Corbett (the Superintendent) wrote me they 

 collected the cocoons by bucketfuls ; and the same kind of 

 caterpillars also did much injury in that year to orchards in 

 Herefordshire, some trees being completely stripped. 



The moth lays her eggs in roundish patches on the small 

 twigs, and covers these patches with a kind of strong gum, 

 which is yellow at first, but gradually changes to a dark 

 brown, so as not to be easily distinguishable from the brown 

 twigs. The eggs may be found hatched by the beginning of 

 October, but the caterpillars (which are then little yellow 

 creatures with black heads, and only about half a line long) 



