INSECTS INJURIOUS TO THE PEAR. 



ATTACKING THE TBUNK, 



No. 65. The Pear-tree Borer. 

 JEgeriapyri (Harris). 



This is a whitish larva resembling that of the peach-tree 

 borer, but much smaller, which feeds chiefly upon the inner 

 layers of the bark of the pear-tree. Its presence may be 

 detected from its habit of throwing out castings resembling 

 fine sawdust, which are readily seen upon the bark of the 

 tree. Before the larva changes to a chrysalis it eats a passage 

 through the bark, leaving only the thinnest possible covering 

 unbroken. Retiring towards the interior, it changes to a 

 chrysalis, and late in the summer the chrysalis wriggles itself 

 forward, and, pushing against the paper-like covering which 

 conceals its place of retreat, ruptures it, and, projecting itself 

 from the orifice, the moth soon bursts its prison-house and 

 escapes, leaving nothing but the empty skin behind it. 



The moth (Fig. 146) is somewhat like a small wasp, of 

 a purplish or bluish-black color, with three golden-yellow 

 stripes on its abdomen; the edges of the collar, 

 Fia.^146. the shoulder-covers, and the fan-shaped brush on 

 the tail are of the same golden-yellow hue. The 

 wings, which, when expanded, measure more than 

 half an inch across, are clear and glass-like, with 

 their veins and fringes purplish black, and across 

 the tips of the fore wings is a broad dark band with a coppery 

 lustre. The under side is pale yellow. 



Remedies. The trees should be examined in the spring, 



and if evidences of the presence of these larvse are found, 



they should be searched for and destroyed. As a preventive 



measure, paint the trees with the mixture of soft-soap and 



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