Insects Injurious to the Apple. 



135 



fresh colonies, and so the increase goes on until late in the autumn. 

 During this time, many leaves dry up and their curled form encloses 

 many of the dolphins, which are apparently thus killed. 



Late in the autumn a progeny of wingless males and females 

 occur. 'The female is very small, often little more than 1^ mm. 

 long, varying in colour from dull yellowish-green to green, head 

 slightly brownish, with two dark spots ; antenna pale at the base, 

 dusky apically, legs pale green, except the apical portion of the 

 tibia', the tarsi and knees, which are brown ; cornicles black, straight, 



tapering; genitalia dusky with two dark 



spots in front, some show paler sides and 

 are darker green according to their age. 

 They are closely attached to the underside 

 of the apple leaves. Most occur close 

 against a rib or vein of the leaf. At the 

 same time small wingless males appear. 

 These are often not more than one-fifth 

 the size of the autumn oviparous females. 

 Unlike most male aphides, it has a longish 

 proboscis, nearly reaching to the second 

 abdominal segment and which is black in 

 colour ; it has rather long dark brown legs. 

 In colour, the male varies from yellowish- 

 brown to dull yellowish, with dark head, 

 long blackish antenna 1 ; cornicles and apex 

 of body black, the former straight. These 

 sexual forms were noticed last year first 

 on the 27th of October, ami on until the 

 7th of December. The females commenced 

 to deposit eggs early in November and con- 

 tinued to do so for over a month. Most 

 placed their black ova on the shoots, a few 

 at the base of buds, and the axils of twigs. 



As many as three hundred eggs may be found on one shoot. The 

 ova remain all the winter, and can then easily be seen by their 

 shiny shells. Great numbers of these eggs shrivel up. These are 

 infertile ones. It is these sterile ova that are thought to have 

 been killed by various winter washes. This species, in company with 

 A r pliis sorbi, curls the leaves, but does not attack the blossom. 



This aphis occurs in Ireland as well as England, Carpenter (8), 

 record ing it from Countv Tyrone. 



[F. E. 



FIG. 108. YOUNG APHIDES JUST 

 HATCHED, FEEDING ON APPLE 

 BUD. 



