252 TINEIDS. 
THE PALMER WORM. 
(Ypsolophus pomotellus Harr.). 
According to Fitch this insect is in thestateoft New York 
more or less common every year, making its appearance 
towards the middle of June. In some years it becomes very 
numerous, and as it ‘is a very general feeder the green foliage 
of the trees infested can in a single day change to a withered 
brown hue, as if scorched by fire. As long as the worms are 
still young they eat only the green pulpy tissues of the leaf, 
leaving its net work of veins entire, 
but as they become larger they con- 
sume the whole of the leaf except the 
coarse veins. The voung and tender 
leaves which grow at or near the 
tips, are preferred; the older and 
tougher ones are simply eaten at 
Fig. 228.— Ypsolophus 
Berson eles uarr: their tip ends, or have irregular 
holes of various sizes gnawed in 
them, some of these holes not being jlarger than a puncture 
made with a pin. The green and soft ends of twigs are 
also eaten. They enjoy eating either round holes or large 
irregular cavities into young apples, which soon afterwards 
wilt and drop to the ground. 
The caterpillars vary greatly in color. When full grown 
they measure almost half an inch in length, and are com- 
monly pale-green or yellowish-green; along each side of 
the back is a dusky stripe and above this a faint, 
whitish one, and on the middle of the back is another dusky 
stripe between the white ones. There are also several small 
black spots, arranged symmetrically, and each yielding a fine 
hair; the polished head is yellow. These caterpillars change 
to pale tawny-yellow pupe in the same tuft of leaves in 
which they resided; they make but a very slight cocoon. 
The moths also vary greatly in coloration but the usual 
