RED-BUD CATERPILLAR. 98 



have not noticed them in previous years, and should be glad if you 

 could give us any information." 



One of the caterpillars sent had spun up except at head end, colour 

 become yellower below. A chrysalis (spun up in web in the bud) 

 was tawny or reddish yellow on as much of the back from the head 

 onwards as was visible. The wings, which were folded beneath it, 

 were yellowish. The abdomen was of a full pink. 



A few days later, Mr, Wheeler forwarded me a further supply of 

 buds, with the observation " that the new shoots seemed to be free 

 from attack, but most of the first buds have been destroyed. We have 

 already picked out most of the diseased buds, so that we have had 

 some difficulty in finding any more." 



The above observation was satisfactorily completed by a character- 

 istic specimen of the moth Lampronia rubiella developing from a 

 chrysalis in one of the Raspberry buds sent me from Newnham Court. 

 This I first observed to have emerged on June 1st. 



The following are the main characteristics of the appearance of the 

 moth ; see also figure at p. 90. The expanse of the wings is a little 

 under half an inch. The head ochry grey with yellowish face ; horns 

 dull brown. The forewings shiny, with a brown ground, marked with 

 yellow dots and various yellow spots ; of these spots two are very 

 noticeable on the hinder or inner margin, and there are four smaller 

 spots on the costa or fore edge. The fringes are brown, with tips 

 white at the end of the wing. The hinder wings brown, with paler 

 fringes.* 



The observations contributed thia year give a very fairly complete 

 history of the life of the insect, from the first appearance of the yomig 

 red caterpillars from their winter shelters to the development of the 

 moth. We find them straying about the Raspberry canes whilst as 

 yet the buds are hardly sufficiently grown to receive them, and 

 presently in full tide of mischief migrating from one bud to another, 

 and as the plant growth goes on we have notes of the young shoot 

 failing beneath the presence of the pest within, almost as if they had 

 been frost-bitten. From specimens sent, I had opportunity of noting 

 the colours of the chrysalis spun up in the bud, which I am not aware 

 of having been recorded before, and also reared the moth. 



Here we have the history of most of the attack agreeing in most 

 parts with what we had general observation about before, but the 

 intermediate history (that is, where the moth which is known to be 

 common in June lays her eggs, and where the young caterpillars feed 

 before they hide up for the winter) was, I believe, unknown until 



* For description in precise scientific wording, with synonyms of the species, 

 see Staintou's ' Tinejna,' p. SO. 



