376 Journal of Agrictdtiire. Viciorui. [11 June, 1917. 



AX ORANGE GROVE PEST. 



By S. A. Cock, Orchard Supervisor. 



A pest noticed in various orange groves in tie State since December 

 last, and wliicli has now become very troublesome, has been identified by 

 the Government Entomologist (Mr. C. French, jun.) as the light brown 

 apple moth (Caccecia responsina). From my own observations it would 

 appear that its method of attack on the trees is as follows: — 



The eggs are laid on the rind of the fruit as well as on the leaves. 

 The tiny caterpillar on emerging from the egg attacks the rind of the 

 orange, generally where there is a leaf overlying and in contact with the 

 fruit or where two or more oranges touch in a cluster of fruit. The 

 caterpillar does not, as a rule, make its way into the orange immediately, 

 but gnaws along the rind and eventually bores into it and feeds, to a 

 slight extent, on the pulp, in which it forms a cavity under the rind. 

 In any case, whether the rind is bored into and through to the pulp, or 

 only furrowed on the exterior, premature ripening of the fruit ensues 

 witli a consequent weakening at the stem, and it falls in a semi-ripened 



Moth (twice natural size) and Larvae (magnified). 



(Eepi-odueed from A Handbook of the Destruictive Insects of Victoria, by 



C. French, sen.) 



condition. The caterpillar then emerges from the fallen fruit and 

 enters the soil to go through its metamorphosis. 



The moth is about f of an inch in expanse of wings, find the- upper 

 pair are light brown in colour, and slightly barred, while the under set 

 vary from a lighter brown to fawn without any markings. 



The cater.pillar when fully grown is about f of an inch in length, 

 and is of a light-green colour. 



This pest should be controlled as follows: — Spray the trees 

 thoroughly when the foliage is dry with arsenate of lead, using a good 

 pump with a strong power behind the nozzle, so that the spray may be 

 forced into the interstices and over every part of the tree, and the fruit 

 clusters thoroughly covered with the poison. All fallen fruit .should be 

 picked up daily. The soil around the trees .should be frequently stirred 

 with a light cultivator, so as to disturb any caterpillars which may be 

 lurking there. 



In view of the great expansion of our citrus industry and the serious 

 depredations of this pest, every effort should be made by growers to 

 combat it. 



