Insects Injurious to the Apple. 



25 



After the last moult the caterpillars 

 their nest, and they devour the 



to much parasitic infestation, 

 spread out over the fruit trees. 



They then seem to forsake 

 leafage wholesale. 



From the end of June to the 

 beginning of July they spin 

 cocoons amongst the leaves of 

 the fruit trees, as a rule several 

 together forming a large mass 

 united by a dusky web. In their 

 cocoons they change to deep 

 brown puptu. Kollar (2) says 

 as many as twelve cocoons may 

 be gathered into one ball. 



Some years ago I counted as 

 many as forty on a damson tree 

 in one mass (4). From these 

 pupte the moths come out in 

 the latter part of July and in 

 August, and soon begin to lay 

 their long egg-masses. 



NATURAL ENEMIES. 



Kollar (2) records both the 

 eggs and the larvae attacked by 

 Ichneumon flies. These para- 

 sites, which are apparently 

 common on the Continent, do 

 not occur, as far as we know, 

 in Britain. They are considered 

 important by American ento- 

 mologists, who are introducing 

 them into the States. Howard 

 (5) tells us that many thou- 

 sands have been introduced 

 and released in the vicinity 

 of Boston. 



The only abundant parasite 

 that I have come across in 



Britain is a Tachinid fly, Thdymorplia vertiginosct, Fl. This fly 

 appeared in great numbers in 1901, and I feel sure had a large share 

 in stamping out this moth (6). 



[ OF A "TENT,'' WITH NEARLY 

 MATURE LARVJE. 



