68 FRUIT INSECTS 



IllOFIOUKNCE 



Forbes, 4th Uvpi. Stat(! Knt. 111., ])[). ryH-VA. 1889. 



TiiK Lkaf-crumflkr 



Mificola iti(h'</('n('Il(i Zcllcr 



Although widely distributod over tlu; uorthcrn portion of the 

 United Htjitcs as far west as Colorado, and oceiirrins also 

 in ('anada, this leaf-crunipler is usually most common and de- 

 structive in Missouri and the surrounding states. Nursery 

 stock and young apple or (luince orchards are sometimes seri- 

 ously injured, and [)luni, cherry, peach and rarely j)ear may he 

 included among its food-plants. The partially grown, reddish- 

 ])r()wn caterpilhu's hibernate in a slender, bhu^kisli, oddly crooked 

 or twisted horn-like oi" cornucopia-shaped tube or (;ase nearly 

 an inch long, hidden among several partially eaten brown and 

 crumpled leaves, all fastened securely to the branches. Early 

 in th(; spring the hungry caterpillars cut loose the fastenings of 

 their winter home and travel with the odd-shaped cases to the 

 opening buds and begin feeding. Several leaves are often 

 fastened togetlu^, and somc^times the young fruits are atta(!ked 

 or tlu! t(!nd(;r bark gnaw(Kl from the twigs. 



When full-grown, in the latter part of May or early June, 

 the caterpillars are about | of an inch in length, and of a dark 

 greenish-brown color, with the head and cervical shield dark 

 reddish-brown ; there is also a flattened blackish prominence 

 on each side below the shield. After fastening the crooked 

 cases to the bark and securely closing them the caterpillars 

 transform in about 2 weeks through reddish-brown pupae to 

 Pyralid moths nu^asuring about y^^^ of an inch across the ex- 

 panded wings (Fig. 73). The front wings are pale brown, with 

 patches and streaks of silvery white. The eggs are said to 

 hatch in about a week. The young, brown caterpillars feed 



