268 



APPLIED ENTOMOLOGY 



and November, and hatch during the 5 months following. Those on the decidu- 

 ous oaks fall with the leaves, and larvae from them rarely find anything to feed 

 upon and therefore die. The eggs laid on the Uve oak, eucalyptus and chestnut, 

 however, produce caterpillars (Fig. 275) which can generally obtain food and 

 they become full-grown in May and 

 June and pupate in any protected 

 place, spinning no cocoon. The 

 moths from these pupae emerge after 

 about 2 or 3 weeks and lay their eggs 

 for a second generation, the larvae of 

 which feed during the last of July, 

 August and September. Pupation fol- 

 lows, after which the moths appear 

 and lay their eggs as already indicated. 



Fig. 272. Fig. 273. 



Fig. 272. — Adult Moth of Red-humped Apple-tree Caterpillar (Schizura concinna S. 

 and A.), natural size. {Original.) 



Fig. 273. — Red- humped Apple-tree Caterpillar in feeding position. Somewhat en- 

 larged. {From Britton, First Ript. Ext. Conn. Agr. Exp. Sta. 1901.) 



When abundant, the trees upon which these insects feed are liable to be 

 entirely stripped of their foliage and this sometimes happens over large areas. 



Control. — Spraying the trees when the caterpillars are abundant, as they 

 begin to feed, with Arsenate of lead, 4 or 5 lb. of the paste (2 or 2}>i lb. of the 



Fig. 274. Fig. 275. 



Fig. 274. — California Oak Worm Moth {Phryganidia calif ornica Pack.), about natural 

 size. {After Essig, Inj. and Benef. Ins. of Cal.) 



Fig. 275. — Caterpillar of the California Oak Worm, natural size. {Modified from 

 Essig, Inj. and Bencf. Ins. of Cal.) 



powder) in 50 gal. of water is effective where the size of the trees permits this 

 treatment. Power sprayers and nozzles giving a fine mist are the most effective 

 for this purpose. 



Family Noctuidae (The Owlet Moths). — The Noctuids form the largest 

 family of moths in this country and are everywhere abundant. Within 



