SMALL EEMINE MOTH. 



295 



means of prevention and remedy as those of the Lackey 

 Moth. 



Small Ermine Moth. 



IJijponoincuta padellas, Lmu. ; II. variabilis, Zell. 



:?^. 



Small Ermine Apple Moth, caterpillar, and cocoons, life size, and caterpillar 



much magnified. 



The caterpillars of the Small Ermine Moth are very des- 

 tructive to the leafage of various kinds of orchard fruit trees? 

 Hawthorns, &c. In 1888 caterpillars of the Small Ermine 

 Moths swarmed to such an extent on the trees in the Fruit 

 Grounds at Toddington, in Gloucestershire, that in the early 

 part of the summer Capt. Corbett (the Superintendent), wrote 

 me they collected the cocoons by bucketsful ; and the same 

 kind of caterpillars also did much injury in that year 

 to orchards in Herefordshire, some trees being completely 

 stripped. 



The moth lays her eggs in roundish patches on the small 

 twigs, and covers these patches with a kind of strong gum, 

 which is yellow at first, but gradually changes to a dark 

 brown, so as not to be easily distinguishable from the brown 

 twigs. The eggs may be found hatched by the beginning of 

 October, but the caterpillars (which are then little yellow 

 creatures with black heads, and only about half a line long) 

 remain sheltered under the patch of gum during the winter, 

 and do not come out till the leaves begin to unfold in spring. 

 Then it is stated (see 'Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond.,' vol. i., p. 22) 

 that they burrow into the young leaves and feed on the soft 

 matter within, until they are strong enough to eat straight- 

 forward at the whole leaf, when they come out from their 

 workings and thus make their appearance suddenly in large 

 numbers where none have been noticeable just before. This 

 part of the attack I have never myself seen, but (without 



