THE LESSER APPLE WORM. 51 



it. Similar larva^ were also received from Lachine Locks, Quebec, 

 some of which, however, were working beneath the skin of the apple 

 and producing large blotch mines. This is also probably the insect 

 complained of by Mr. R. M. Palmer, in British Columbia, in a letter 

 quoted by Fletcher in this same report. In his report for 1808, page 

 199, Fletcher again comments on this species to the effect that for 

 many years the apple growers of British Columbia had noticed a 

 small caterpillar answering in everything but size to the codling motli 

 larva. The insect had been abundant, but the moth was not obtained 

 until 1897, Avhen a few were bred out by ISIr. E. A. Carew-Gil)son 

 and forwarded by Doctor Fletcher to this Bureau, being determined 

 here as identical with Walsh's plum moth. Fletcher records having 

 bred this species at different times from apples and haws at OttaAva, 

 from near Toronto, and from Lachine, Quebec. Single specimens 

 had been received occasionally from Quebec and Ontario, but the 

 insect had not been sufficiently abundant to attract attention. 

 Fletcher's observations in British Cohunbia in the sunnner of 1897, 

 and also observations by Messrs. Palmer and Carew-Gibson, led these 

 gentlemen to fear that, from the numbers of the insect that were being 

 found, the species might develop into a pest of importance. The 

 great similarity of the injury of this insect to that done by the codling 

 moth was noted, and also its general confusion by growers with this 

 latter species. Later, in a letter to Doctor Fletcher, jNIr. Carew- 

 Gibson reported that the insect had been found through all the lower 

 mainland and islands of British Columbia, usually attacking apples, 

 but occurring also quite often in plums and prunes. In concluding 

 his article Fletcher remarks that he considers it unlikely that this 

 insect will ever develop into a serious pest of ajjples and plums, and 

 regards its injury in British Columbia during the years mentioned 

 as exceptional and due to the failure of wild crabs to produce fruit. 



In Bulletin No. 61 of the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment 

 Station, page 295 (1898), Lugger, under the caption "The apple 

 bud moth," presents a brief note, stating that in addition to the 

 apple this insect infests also the plum and cherry, and can become 

 decidedly destructive by eating the buds of apple before they expand, 

 causing in this way more injury than if the leaves were eaten. The 

 larvae are said to have the habit of feeding inside of cherries, thus 

 causing them to drop. 



In his report for 1900 Fletcher states, on the authority of R. M. 

 Palmer, that this insect occurred in nearl}^ all the fruit-growing dis- 

 tricts of British Columbia except the Okanogan Valley, but in smaller 

 numbers than in 1898-99. 



Without question the larva of this insect is the one referred to by 

 Mr. C. B. Simpson in Bulletin No. 41 of this Bureau, page 23 (1903), 

 on the codling moth, under the heading " Unknown caterpillar work- 



