422 APPENDIX. 



females. The body is of a darkish-red colour, and approaching to 

 black about the middle of the body on the dorsal surface. Legs of a 

 uniform lightish-brown colour. Antennte dark-brown ; eyes and ocelli 

 black and smooth. 



As compared with L. pini there are several points of contrast. The 

 larvae are quite distinct in colour, and the larva?, of rufu8 feed on the 

 foliage of last year, whereas phii eat the foliage of tlie cttrrent year. 

 LopJiynis pini is always double -brooded, while L. rufus is single- 

 brooded. Thus we have in this species a good example of the value 

 of systematic study to the practical man. The two species of saw- 

 flies in question are not very widely separated, so far as structural 

 details are concerned, and yet the life-histories vary considerably. It 

 often happens that the economic entomologist only recognises distinct 

 species through the medium of the damage, whereas when " beating " 

 insects in a general way a knowledge of structural points would enable 

 a •' recognition " prior to the evidence of injuries. 



Argyresthia l.evigatella, H. Sch. (the Larch-shoot Moth). 



It has recently been recorded from several districts, more especially 

 on the Colesborne estate, Gloucestershire,^ that considerable damage is 

 being done by this tiny moth to larch plantations under thirty years 

 of age. The injuries are repre.sented in fig. 237, page 239. At Coles- 

 borne the damage is thus described by Mr John Irvine, the forester on 

 the estate : " Healthy growing trees suflier as much as the weakly 

 diseased ones, and larch in all aspects and situations, whether in pine 

 woods or mixed, are attacked ; isolated trees seem to suffer as much 

 as those growing in masses, the leaders being attacked as well as 

 the side shoots." 



With a view of ascertaining whether the damage was on the increase 

 in other parts of the country, I wrote to Mr J. W. Kobbins, forester, 

 Escrick, Yorkshire, who has given considerable attention to this species. 

 He replied to the effect that he did not consider it was appreciably on 

 the increase in that district. 



As regards remedial measures, it would appear from the life-history 

 of the insect that the only eftective way in dealing with this pest is to 

 cut off and destroy the afl:ected shoots in the spring, say about the 

 middle of May. If concerted action on the part of owners of wood- 

 lands were adopted in cutting off the shoots as suggested, the pest 

 would be minimised for the following year. 



There is an important point in connection with the name of this 

 insect which may be noted — viz., that specialists in micro-lepidoptera 

 are inclined to consider the correct name as A. atvtoriella, Banks. The 

 practical man will of course be content to call it by the name of " The 

 Larch-shoot Moth." 



^ Quarterly Journal of Forestry. July 1911. 



