252 PIKE. 



three weeks develop into Sawfiies (or in August or September). 

 The larvae from these live on the Pine leaves of the present 

 season, and (quite differently to the first set, which form their 

 cocoons on Pine leaves, &c.) these go into cocoon in the 

 earth. Here the caterpillars lie in cocoon the whole winter 

 through without becoming pupae until spring, a period of nine 

 months for the metamorphoses which happened so quickly 

 previously." 



" However, all winter cocoons do not belong to the cater- 

 pillars of the second generation ; it often happens that there 

 is only one generation, and the caterpillars of this hybernate 

 in the ground in cocoons."* 



The male and female differ from each other both in colour 

 and size ; the male is black, with four transparent iridescent 

 wings, which are about half an inch in expanse, and the 

 feather-like rays of the horns are more developed than in the 

 female. The colour of the female is whitish, with black head, 

 breast, and horns ; a black patch on the back of the abdomen, 

 and a black patch or spots between the wings, which are about 

 three-quarters of an inch in their expanse, and iridescent 

 with purple and green, varied with yellow, like those of the 

 male. — (' Die Blattwespen,' ' Naturgeschichte der Schadlichen 

 Insecten,' ' Stephen's Illus. Brit. Ent.,' &c.) 



Prevention and Kemedies. — Clearing away cocoons from 

 under infested trees during the winter is the best method of 

 preventing attack in the ensuing season. 



A large proportion of the Pine Sawfly caterpillars which 

 leave the shoots in autumn bury themselves (as mentioned 

 above) in the dry leaves, Moss, or decayed rubbish beneath 

 the tree, and are stated for the most part to form their cocoons 

 near the stem of the tree, where they are sometimes to be 

 found lying together in masses as large as a man's fist. 



"The ground underneath Scots Fir trees is generally bare, 

 and covered only with the fallen leaves and tree debris ; so 

 that it is an easy matter to examine the surface of the ground 

 near the base of the trees, and, if found infested with cocoons, 

 to scrape it together and hum it in small heaps, so as to 

 destroy the insects. 



" Another plan might be useful ; that is, turn over with a 

 spade the loose surface-soil and tree dehris containing the 

 cocoons, and give it a heavy beat with the back of the spade, 

 thus smashing and destroying the cocoons. 



" However nothing is so effective as collecting the surface- 

 soil and rubbish into small heaps, and burning or charring it. 

 Even where the surface is covered with rough herbage or 



* ' Foist Zoologie,' von Dr. B. Altum ; " Insecten," Part ii., p. 269. 



