342 



FRUIT INSECTS 



Fig. 302. — Eggs of the imported currant worm. 



one fourth inch in 

 length, and has the 

 dorsal aspect of the 

 abdomen black ex- 

 cept at tip. As 

 soon as the leaves 

 have expanded the 

 female deposits her 

 whitish, smooth, 

 elongate eggs end to 

 end in rows along 

 the principal veins 

 on the underside of 

 the leaves of the food- 

 plant (Fig. 302). 

 The eggs increase in size considerably after deposition, and 



measure about 2V i^^ch in length when ready to hatch. They 



hatch in a week or ten days, and the small whitish larvae begin 



their destructive work by eating small holes through the leaves 



(Fig. 303). As 



they increase in size 



the color changes to 



green, and after the 



first molt the body 



becomes covered 



with many black 



spots and the head 



is black. 



While small the 



larvae feed in col- 

 onies, 30 or 40 on 



a leaf, which is 



soon consumed; 



they then scatter 



Fig. 303. — Newly hatched currant worms feeding. 



