MOTTLED UMBEE MOTH. 



179 



to, he remarks that in the case of this larva, when it is 

 " almost half-grown, it plainly shows some rudiments of legs 

 on the ninth segment," and, further on, that there "are on 

 the ninth segment a pair of feet perfectly formed, but useless 

 for walking, being about one-sixteenth of the size of the pair 

 on the tenth segment." — (J. J. H.) The observation of the 

 existence of a pair of abortive sucker-feet on the segment pre- 

 ceding that which carries the pair characteristic of "loopers" 

 is not of practical importance, but is of interest scientifically. 

 The cocoon formed by the caterpillar is stated to be of long 

 oval shape, and of tough texture, being lined with close woven 

 3'ellowish silk, and covered with fine earth. 



Prevention and Eemedies. — In some cases, when the 

 ground beneath infested trees is bare, a disturbance of the 

 surface during winter, or before developing time in spring, 

 might do good, of course taking care not to go deep enough 

 to hurt the roots. In this way the cocoons would be turned 

 out of the previously arranged shelters to alternate cold and 

 wet, which is an excellent method of lessening amount of 

 insect vermin. 



Another means of prevention, in the case of trees where 

 the end twigs are in sight and in reach, is looking towards the 

 end of March or in April to see whether the ends of these 

 twigs are infested by the bands of eggs, and, if so, having 

 these cut off and destroyed. 



For general measures of prevention and remedy, and espe- 

 cially of remedy by applications of soft-soap and other washes, 

 see notes given at pp 161-176, under the heading of Winter 

 Moth. 



Mottled Umber Moth. Hyhemia defoliaria, Linu. 



Hyberxia defoliaria. — Male and wingless female ; caterpillar, after 

 Taschenberg. 



The Mottled Umber Moth is a common kind and widely 



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