236 ^^^V EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



64 VICTORIA, A. 1901 



been done; large numbers of the moths have also been dislodged from their resting 

 places and killed. The proper carrying out of such work, however, takes up too much 

 time, especially if many large houses have to be gone over, and, as this insect is almost 

 <3ontinuously at work when once established, no doubt fumigation with hydrocyanic 

 -acid gas is the quickest and most effective remedy. 



A GREENHOUSE LEAF-ROLLER 



(Cacoecla parallela, Rob.). 



Attoxh. — Dull green caterpillars about an inch in length when full-grown, with 

 yellowish-brown head and thoracic shield ; each segment but the first two bearing 

 conspicuous white piliferous tubercles ; feeding on the foliage of rose bushes in green- 

 houses, drawing the leaflets together by threads of silk, or rolling a leaf up and 

 spinning a web inside. 



In my last report I recorded the occurrence of two new greenhouse pests in Canada, 

 viz., the Greenhouse Leaf-tyer (Phlyctaenia ferrugalis, Hbn.), and the Black Violet 

 Aphis ( Bhopalosiphu m violne, Perg.J, both of which occarred at Toronto. During the 

 past year there was brouglit under my notice for the first time in Canada the work of 

 another insect, attacking the foliage of rose bushes in greenhouses of Messrs. Webster 

 Bros., at Hamilton, Ont. Specimens of the caterpillar were sent to the Division, and 

 these have since been, bred to maturity, and proved to be those of a small tortricid 

 moth, Cacoecia parallela, Rcb., somewhat resembling the Oblique-banded Leaf- roller, 

 which has long been known to injure roses, particularly out of doors 



The caterpillars of Cacoecia parallela, Rob., were first noticed doing injury at 

 Hamilton in June, 1899, and since then they have appeared in hundreds, causing great 

 annoj'anee and damage. The larva* were particularly prevalent during the present 

 year, from the end of March until about the middle of October. The work of the 

 caterpillar is much after the style of both the Greenhouse Leaf-tyer and the Oblique- 

 banded Leaf-roller. It feeds on the green foliage and has the habit of drawing the 

 leaflets together by means of threads of silk, or rolling a leaf over, spinning a web and 

 feeding inside. 



The caterpillar when full-grown is about one inch long ; it tapers slightly to each 

 end and has the segments distinctly marked. The colour is dull green, overlaid lightly 

 with velvety black, of a slightly darker shade on the dorsum. The piliferous tubercles 

 are white and conspicuous, bristles long and slightly wavy. The head is round, slightly 

 depressed in front, of a yellowish-brown colour, and bears some slender light hairs ; 

 mouth parts and antennae darkened; ocelli black. Behind each cheek, at the back of 

 the head, is a black elongated blotch in line with the ocelli. Thoracic shield honey 

 coloured, with two small back spots on the front margin, divided by the pale median 

 line. The posterior margin of the shield is bordered heavily with black, which 

 gradually enlarges into a wide blotch towards the apex. Like the double blotch on 

 the front margin, these blotches are separated by the median line. Below the thoracic 

 shield are two short tubercle-like chitinous dashes, the upper of which is immediately 

 in front of the spiracle. Each of these dashes bears a pair of bristles. The anal 

 shield is darkened towards ihe apex and bears several slender bristles. The con- 

 spicuous white piliferous tubercles are arranged as follows : — The sub-dorsal tubercles 

 are widely separated, so as to bring them and those of the lateral series almost into 

 line. The supra-stigmatal tubercles are immediately above and close to the small 

 black-ri' ged spiracles, in some cases partially inclosing them. The infra-stigmatal 

 tubercles are directly below the spiracles, and separated from them by twice their 

 width. The supra-ventral tubercles lie in a line directly below those of the lateral 

 series. There is a ventral series of large double tubercles which lie at the base of the 

 prolegs and thoracic feet, and each of which bears two or three bristles. On segments 



