40 FRUIT INSPJCrS 



jk 





They are more frequently 

 found feeding on foliage of 

 various forest trees, notably 

 poplar, soft maple, hickory, 

 wild cherry and boxelder. 

 In addition to the apple they 

 also attack the fruit of the 

 pear, peach, plum, apricot, 

 quince and currant. The 

 green fruit-worms are large, 

 light yellowish or apple green 

 caterpillars (Fig. 41), with a 



Fig. 41. — Grt'cii I'niit-vvornis feeding on i i i • 



young apples. narrow cream-colored stripe 



down the middle of the back, 

 a wide cream-colored stripe along each side and many similarly 

 colored mottlings or spots which sometimes form quite distinct 

 stripes along the body above the broad lateral stripes. When 

 fully grown they range from one to one and a half ^^ 



inches in length. They work during May and the 

 first half of June. When young they feed upon the 

 foliage or buds so that when the fruit is large enough 

 for them to eat they are found to be about half 

 grown. The caterpillars do not bore into the fruit, 

 but usually begin eating on one side and often con- 

 tinue feeding until nearly half of the fruit is eaten. 

 They go from fruit to fruit, one caterpillar thus 

 ruining several fruits ; in some orchards they have 

 been known to destroy over a quarter of the crop. 

 If the cavity eaten in the apple is not too large, it ^ , .., _ 

 may heal over, leaving a light brown corky scar. Pupaof"^the 



The green fruit-worms do most of their damage to ^^^^" ^^"^*" 



, . . ^ worm. 



the 3^oung Iruits m May, but some of them continue 



working until nearly the middle of June. During the first 



week in June most of the caterpillars get their full growth 



