INSECTS AFFECTING THE PEAR. 



INJURING THE TRUNK. 



The Pear-tree Borer. 



Aegeria pyri. 



The adult of this insect is represented twice its 

 natural size at Plate II, Fig. 3. It is a small, clear- 

 winged moth, purplish or bluish-black in color, and 

 having three pretty golden-yellow bands across the 

 abdomen. Its eggs are deposited upon the bark of 

 the trunk, and the larvae feed upon the inner bark 

 or sapwood. The latter are very similar to the grubs 

 of the Peach-tree Borer, but are considerably smaller. 

 When full grown they gnaw almost through the 

 outer bark, leaving an extremely thin layer to protect 

 them, and then change to the chrysalis state within 

 the burrow. A short time afterwards the chrysalis 

 wriggles through the burrow to the outer membra- 

 nous bark, through which it pushes its front end. 

 The fully developed moth then crawls out of the 

 chrysalis, and, after drying its wings. Hies away in 

 search of companions and the nectar of flowers upon 

 which it feeds. 



Remedies. — This insect is rarely present in injuri- 

 ous numbers, and consequently usually requires little 

 or no attention. The larvse arc said to throw out fine, 

 sawdust-like castings, by which their presence may 



