197 



during these experiments that eggs were not deposited exclusively 

 on peach-trees, as the cage and floor were also used to some extent. 



The eggs hatch after an incubation period of from 9 to 1 1 days. Eggs 

 deposited by unfertilised females never hatched. When deposited on 

 sprayed branches, the spray never affected hatching of the eggs. 

 Eggs were sprayed experimentally within 5 days of deposition with 

 various common contact insecticides, but while these destroyed a 

 certain number of eggs, no material proved to be an infallible agent 

 in killing them. A table shows the substances used and their effect. 

 It was thought that these chemicals might act as a stomach poison to 

 the larva when eating its way out of the egg, but apparently little or 

 none of the shell is consumed in this process. 



These results are largely negative, and the author is of the opinion 

 that some mechanical or chemical barrier that will kill the larva before 

 it enters the tree, or prevent it from entering, will be the solution of 

 the problem of peach-tree borer infestation. 



In the discussion following the reading of this paper it was explained 

 that the use of tree protectors is still in the experimental stage. In 

 using tree protectors that have been sealed with asphalt or borene 

 advantageous use has been made of a strong paper clip, which is slipped 

 over the tarred paper where the two margins overlap and helps to 

 hold the protector in position while the openings are sealed. It is 

 hoped to collect further data on these lines during the spring of 1918. 



Parrott (P. J.). The Apple Ermine Moth. — Jl. Econ. Entom., 

 Concord, N.H., xi, no. 1, February 1918, pp. 55-57. 



Hyponomeuta padeUus, L., (cherry ermine moth) has previously 

 been recorded on imported cherry seedlings, and an allied species has 

 recently been observed on apples, on which it is the most abundant and 

 persistent of all the insects imported from Europe on apple seedlings. 

 During recent years these moths have greatly increased in numbers, 

 although neither species has been recorded in any other State than 

 New York. Besides occurring in foreign importations, the pest has 

 been discovered in three orchards, obviously originating from eggs on 

 imported apple seedlings, and although other kinds of fruit were 

 present, the infestation was entirely confined to apple trees. The 

 occurrence of the insect on apple, and not on cherry, raises the ques- 

 tion as to whether the species concerned is H. padellus or H. malinelkis. 

 The adults of the former species are exceedingly variable in their 

 markings, and unfoi'tunately the identification of the two species seems 

 to rest largely upon the colour distinction of the adults, which are 

 sufficiently differentiated when characteristic examples are selected, 

 but in others tend to merge into each other by imperceptible grada- 

 tions. Specimens recently bred from apples were sent for identifi- 

 cation to Paris to Dr. Paul Marchal, who reported that they agreed 

 well with examples of H. malinellus, but expressed a doubt as to 

 whether H. padellus and H. malinellus are in reality distinct species, 

 g Breeding experiments are needed to settle definitely the status of 

 these two moths, but until these are undertaken it is considered 

 ad\dsable to designate the insects bred from hawthorn and cherry as 

 H. padellus and those from apple as H. tnalinellus. 



