406 



INJURIOUS AND BENEFICIAL INSECTS OF CALIFORNIA. 



Life History. — The winter is spent in the pupal stage and the adults 

 emerge the following May, June or July. 'The eggs are deposited in 



masses of from twenty-five to one 

 hundred and hatch in mid-summer. 

 The caterpillars are gregarious 

 and feed in large colonies, first 

 only upon the undersides of the 

 I raves, but later devouring all the 

 foliage excepting the stems and 

 midribs. They become full-groAvn 

 in about one month and enter the 

 ground from two to four inches to 

 pupate over winter. There is but 

 one brood a year. 



Nature of Work. — The work of 

 this insect greatly resembles that 

 of the red-humped caterpillar, to 

 which it is closely related. 



Distribution. — The distribution 

 of the yellow-necked apple cater- 

 pillar is not extensive. It has been 

 received from Santa Clara County 

 and exists in the central part of 

 the State. 



Fig. 409. — The yeiiow-necked apple Food Plants. — The caterpillars 



caterpillar, Datana ministra Drurv. Dor- x- „ i , „„„ j-i,^ .<?,v„™~ „* „ i„ 



sai view of larva on left. Right shows teed upon the foliage of apple, 

 Swi^ESr* 6 * 18 ^ f attit , ude of ,t£ e . \ av Vl apricot, blackberry, cherry, chest- 



while feeding. Natural size. (Original) r , , '. , • •% 



nut, hickory, oak. pear, plum, 

 prune, quince, black and English walnut and other fruit, forest and 

 shade trees. 



Control. — The remedies recommended for the red-humped cater- 

 pillar should be used for this insect. 



THE RED-HUMPED CATERPILLAR 



Schizura cone inn a (Smith and Abbot) (Family Notodontidae) 



(Phalwna coiicinna Smith and Abbot) 



[GEdemasia concinna (Smith and Abbot)] 



(Figs. 410, 411) 



Description. — The full-grown caterpillars are reddish and have six 

 or eight black tubercles to each segment, making them appear very 

 dark. The body is alternately lined with white and black stripes 

 along the back and with waved black and yellow stripes along the 

 sides. The head is bright red, as is also the fourth segment (first 

 abdominal segment), which is larger than any other segment, and has 

 a distinct hump, on the top of which are four prominent black spines 

 or tubercles. From this hump the common name is derived. The 

 length varies from 1 ] to 2 inches when ready to pupate. The pupae 

 vary from tan to dark brown in color and are scarcely 1 inch in 

 length. The adults are very plain brown or grayish moths and are 

 seldom, if ever, seen by the grower. 



