Insects Injurious to the Apple. 



47 



has been sent me from apple and plum both from the south and 

 Midlands of England. Whitehead (6) says that pear trees are its 

 special favourites, and he also records as many as seventy- six larvae 

 being taken from one tree in Herefordshire in 1879. 



In 1884 several were found by me in a young walnut tree, 

 the tree having been killed by 

 their tunnelling into it near 

 the ground, and other instances 

 of their destructive habits in the 

 walnut have also been brought 

 to my notice (3). 



It has been decidedly on the 

 increase in apple trees this last 

 few years, hence is included in 

 this section. 



LlFE-HlSTORY AND HABITS. 



During June and July we 

 find that this lepidopteron, 

 which belongs to the Coccidse, 

 makes its advent in the winged 

 or perfect state, when they may 

 be seen at rest upon tree trunks 

 near the ground. The perfect 

 insect is about 2 inches in ex- 

 panse of wings ; white, some- 

 times almost transparent white, 

 with isolated spots of steel-blue 

 colour, the nervures terminating 

 in patches of the same colour. 

 The head covered with white 

 downy hair ; antennse black. 

 Thorax white, with two rows of 

 three metallic-blue spots ; abdo- 

 men deep bluish-black, covered 

 at the edges of the segments with 

 a white hairy down. The female 

 is similar to the male, only larger, 

 and armed with an extensile ovipositor. The eggs, which are dark 

 yellow or orange-yellow, are laid deep in the bark of the tree during 

 June, July and August ; they take from two to three weeks to deve- 

 lop. Whitehead (6) says they hatch in a few days after oviposition. 



FIG. 33. 

 WOOD LEOPARD MOTH AND TUNNELLED -WOOD. 



(One-third natural-size.) 



