106 QUINCE CULTURE. 



the stem that supported the cut-worm. Further obser- 

 vation showed that they pupated ten days before coming 

 forth to repeat their work of destruction. The female 

 of this parasite lays about 100 eggs, which shows that 

 they are capable of doing much good service. The car- 

 nivorous beetles Calosoma scrutator and Calosoma cali- 

 dum (Fabr.) are very active in hunting and eating all 

 the species of cut-worms. The latter is a very beautiful 

 beetle, with copper-colored spots on the wing covers. 

 Their aid as destroyers of noxious insects should be 

 better known and appreciated. 



ATTACKING THE LEAVES. 



9. CATERPILLAR OF THE HANDMAID MOTH, or THE 

 YELLOW-NECKED APPLE-TREE CATERPILLAR (Datana 

 ministra, Drury). Of all insects that prey upon the 

 leaves of quince trees, I have found the caterpillar 

 of the Handmaid Moth most destructive. As one of 



Fig. 81 EGGS OF MOTH. 



its names suggests, it is also destructive of the foliage 

 of the apple and also of the cherry. The eggs are laid 

 on the under side of a leaf, selecting one near the end of 

 a twig. They are fastened in nearly straight rows to one 

 another as well as to the leaf. They vary from about 150 

 to 180, each the size of a small pin head. They hatch at 

 varying times from July onward, occasional broods com- 

 ing out as late as September, At first they only eat the 



