SBIALL EEMINE MOTH. 13 



The life-bistory of the infestation, put as shortly as possible, is that 

 the little moths lay their eggs in patches on twigs of the attacked 

 trees, chiefly on Apple or Hawthorn, from which the caterpillars may 

 be found hatched by the beginning of October ; these live through the 

 winter, but attention is usually first drawn to their presence in spring 

 or early summer, when they may be found feeding in large numbers 

 on the leaves, and spinning web-nests, in which they shelter in com- 

 panies. When full-fed, the caterpillars each spin a separate cocoon of 

 light texture in the web shelters (see figure, p. 12), within which they 

 turn to the chrysalis condition, and from which the moths come out 

 about the end of June. 



The caterpillars when first hatched are about one-twenty-fourth of 

 an inch in length, yellow in colour, with black heads ; they afterwards 

 turn to a dirty ash (or possibly pale ash) colour, spotted with black ; 

 and when full-grown, the ground colour is of a dirty yellow or lead 

 colour. 



The moth is of the size figured, with rather narrow fore wings 

 about three-quarters of an inch in expanse, and usually livid or whitish 

 dotted with black, the hind wings livid or lead colour ; but the tint is 

 very variable. The species or variety figured at p. 12, of which the 

 fore wings of the moth have the black spots on a pure white ground, 

 and of which the cocoons are opaque, was at one time especially dis- 

 tinguished £ts Hyponomeuta malivorella, or Small Apple Ermine Moth, 

 and was considered more especially to frequent the Apple. But 

 however this may be, there does not appear to be any difi;erence in the 

 life-history requiring different treatment. 



Pkevention and Eemedies. — The usual remedies for this attack 

 where the infested boughs are so clear of each other that the webs can 

 be cut off are well known. Then the web-nests should be cut off, when 

 the caterpillars are within, and allowed to fall into a pail of any fluid 

 held below which will prevent them escaping. Or the caterpillars can 

 be shaken down to some extent by jarring the infested boughs, and 

 destroyed ; or syriugings with soft-soap and a little paraffin oil mixed 

 with it answer well ; or even, where there is a good water supply, 

 thorough hard washings sent at the tree of water without any admixture 

 I have known to clear the tree very effectually. It was not, however, 

 until the past season that I had an instance of treatment being 

 successfully carried out on a long length of tall hedge. 



On July 6th the following communication, with specimens of H. 

 padella, with larvfe (some full-grown), and some pupre spun up side by 

 side in the manner figured at p. 12, were sent me from The Eectory 

 Caterham, Surrey, by the Rev. Fred. A. Bright : — 



" I am advised to send for your inspection specimens of a quickset 



