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58 Farmers’ Bulletin 1270. 
PALMERWORM.” 
If history repeats itself in the case of the palmerworm, fruit growers are not 
likely to encounter this insect in injurious numbers more than once in a life- 
time, since in the past outbreaks have occurred only at intervals of about 60 
years. The injury is caused by the small worms feeding on the foliage in the 
open ov within a few leaves or sometimes beneath the protection of a folded 
leaf edge. They sometimes skeletonize the foliage when abundant and often 
eat holes in the young fruit, resulting in a type of injury which may be more 
or less confused with that cuused by the green fruitworms (p. 21). In addition 
to attacking the fruit and foliage of the apple, the palmerworm has ‘heen re- 
ported as feeding principally upon the foliage of pear, plum, cherry, and oak. 
It has been reported chiefly from New 
York, the New England States. and 
Canada, 
The palmerworm supposedly biber- 
nates in the adult or moth stage. The 
moths are of a variable gray to brown 
color and measure about half an inch 
across the expanded wings. Early in 
the spring, upon the appearance of the 
foliage. the moths deposit their very 
small whitish eggs on the underside of 
the leaves, and from these hatch the 
destructive worms or larve. When 
full-grown the larvee are about half an 
inch in length and are usually of a 
dark green color traversed by four 
whitish stripes, the outer of which are 
bronder than the inner. After feeding 
for a period of about a month, the 
larve transform to small brownish 
Pita Oats eae tue sted SaEH ene: pups, which are secured to the leaves 
ledtahliater Alita by means of silken threads or in 
some instances are to be found on the 
ground. Through further transforniation the moths issue during midsummer, 
but do not oviposit, so far as is known, until the following spring. There is 
thus only one generation annually. 
In common with many other leaf-feeding caterpillars, the palmerworm may 
be controlled by means of a spray consisting of arsenate of lead powder 1 pound, 
or paste 2 pounds, to 50 gallons of water or fungicide, applied at the time of 
hatching. If the worms are not. discovered until partly grown, it may he neces- 
sary to use a stronger dosage, depending on their size. 
PEAR-LEAF BLISTER-MITE.” 
The pear-leaf blister-mite attacks the foliage of the apple and pear, produc- 
ing minute greenish or reddish galls or blisters, which after a time turn brown, 
spotting the leaves with dead areas like certain forms of fungous attack (fig. 
118). When the gails are abundant, there results considerable dead and in- 
jured tissue, giving the leaves a brownish and shriveled appearance. Badly — 
infested orchards have a distinctly yellowish cast, and later become brownish 
as the injured patches discolor. Injury to the foliage causes much of it to 
“4 Ypsolophus ligulellus Hiibner. 45 Hriophyes pyri Pagenstecher. 
