EXPERIMENT STATION EEPOET. 577 



when at rest. It usually sits on the stem during the day, head down, 

 and does not fly readily. When disturbed it flies with a darting 

 motion for quite long distances, so it is not often seen and recognized 

 by the ordinary grower. Of dozens of insects sent in as fruit-worm 

 moths, it is rare to find even a single example of the true species, and 

 that usually in such condition as to be unrecognizable. 



The eggs are pale yellowish in color, nearly round in outline, 

 almost flat, and so soft that they adapt themselves readily to any 

 inequalities of the surface upon which they are laid. Usually they are 

 laid upon the young berry, preferably at or near the calyx end, but 

 they may be found anywhere on its surface, and probably, also, on the 

 leaves. The worms emerge in about five days, and for a day or two feed 

 on the outside of the fruit. Then the little fellows bore into the 

 berry itself, and each one closes the tiny opening by a dense web of 

 silk, so skillfully made that it is difficult to find the point of entrance. 

 The seed capsule is at once attacked, eaten out and then the larva 

 seeks new quarters. The abandoned berry soon after turns red, 

 shrivels and dies. Several fruits may be eaten out by a single cater- 

 pillar, and until it is half grown or more the insect always closes up 

 the opening it makes very carefully. When nearly full grown it 

 becomes careless of this and leaves a jagged opening, through which 

 frass or excrement is often extruded — opening the way, thereby, to the 

 parasites to which it is subject. Sometimes it even fastens together 

 several adjacent berries, eating from one into the other and ruining all. 

 By the time the fruit is half grown on a badly-infested bog it will 

 begin to turn red, and to the ordinary observer will appear to be 

 ripening. But the grower knows better and realizes that it is all lost 

 to him, a harvest of dried shells only being left at picking time. 



Full growth comes, ordinarily, in late August or early September, 

 some worms being already out of the berries August 25th, but more 

 of them leaving every day after September 1st. At picking time all 

 the moths have disappeared ; many, perhaps most, of the worms have 

 left the berries and worked below the surface; but many are not yet 

 full grown and a few still are so small as to have the silken covering 

 over the point of entrance. 



Mr. Thayer records collecting two quarts of worm-infested "Howes" 

 August 27th, and that several larvge left the berries and entered the 

 sand less than an hour thereafter. September 4th, eighty-five cocoons 

 were found and more wormy berries were added. September 11th 



37 



