VII. THE PISTOL-CASE-BEAEER.* 



Summary. 



The pistol-case-bearer is one of the important injurious insects 

 of the apple orchard. Last year it appeared in unusual num- 

 bers, doing serious injury, especially in the western part of the 

 state. 



This insect belongs to the same order as the moths and butter- 

 dies. It lives over winter in the half-grown larval condition, 

 each larva oir caterpillar being protected by a peculiar curved 

 case which is firmly attached on end to the twig and which is just 

 large enough to accommodate its occupant. 



Early in the spring the case-bearers become active. They first 

 attack the swelling buds and later the leaves, flower-buds and 

 llowers as they appear. The fruit, also, is sometimes attacked. 



The transformation to the pupa takes place within the case 

 which each caterpillar carries, but which, as the time for pupa- 

 tion approaches, is attached firmly to the twig. This takes 

 place during the latter part of May. The moths issue in from 

 two to three weeks. The eggs are laid on the under surface of 

 the leaves. The recently hatched caterpillars eat small holes 

 into the interior of the leaves. Their cases, which are made of 

 excrement and silk, are also very soon constructed. During Sep- 

 tember they migrate to the smaller branches and twigs to re- 

 main until spring. 



Experiments at this Station show that this insect can be con- 

 trolled by thoroughly spraying the infested trees with Paris 

 green, using one pound to 150 gallons of water, with the addition 

 of enough freshly-slaked lime to make the mixture milky. In 

 the experiments the trees were sprayed three times; first, just 

 before the buds began to swell; second, soon after the young 

 leaves appeared, and third, just after the petals had fallen. 



•Published also as Bulletio No. 122. 



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