48 



in succession portions of the hedge are likely to die out. In 

 the, case of both apple and hawthorn the injury is at its worst 

 in' 'July. 



Description and Life-History. Small Ermine Moths are 

 about one-third of an inch in length and about three-quarters 

 of an inch in spread of wings. In colour the fore wings are 

 white or grey with a number of black dots* and the hind wings 

 are of a uniform grey. The moths appear at the end of 

 July and in August and lay their eggs on the twigs or small 

 branches of the apple or hawthorn. The eggs are flat and 

 are laid many together in .small scale-like masses, each egg 

 being firmly cemented to the next. These egg-masses are 

 so slightly raised above the surface of the twig and are so 

 nearly of the same colour that they are not easily detected. 

 In September minute caterpillars are hatched from the eggs, 

 but during the winter remain under the egg shells which 

 form a protection over them. In the early spring they crawl 

 out and bore into the buds and later mine into the growing 

 leaves. As the foliage develops they feed on the surface of 

 .the leaves, spinning two or three together to form a nest. 



Towards the end of May and in June the work of the 

 caterpillars becomes more evident, and colonies may be found 

 living in large webs spun between the leaves and twigs, the 

 leaves being eaten and fresh leaves drawn in to serve as food. 

 Gradually the whole branch or even the whole tree may 

 become enveloped in a dirty ragged web, and practically every 

 leaf may be devoured. Each -web appears to be full of little 

 black caterpillars which wriggle vapidly backwards and for- 

 wards., and if disturbed often fall down suspended by a silken 

 thread. 



When nearly full grown the caterpillars measure about half 

 an inch in length and are dusky grey in colour with black 

 spots. 



In July the caterpillars are full grown and spin cocoons, 

 often many together, in which they turn into chrysalides. The 

 motihs appear some three weeks after, and the life-cycle begins 

 -again. 



1 The above account of the life-history refers in the main to 

 tihfe Ermines on apple, hawthorn, plum, &c., but there are one 

 6r"'twb curious points which are worthy of mention. In the- 

 firist place the cocoons of the apple-fed caterpillars are formed 

 of dense white silk, and are often spun together in definite 

 rowW." On the other hand the chrysalides of the hawthorn- 

 f6eders are suspended almost at random in the webs and are 

 enclosed in very slight and flimsy cocoons which hardly serve 

 fo bide : the chrysalides. Secondly, the apple-feeders produce 

 hr higli proportion of moths with white fore wings, while those 

 front 1 hawthorn are either white or grey more often, perhaps,, 

 the latter colour. 



