208 



Insect Pests. 



against the walls or fences, it is frequently a serious enemy, and it is 

 under such circumstances that it causes much harm to the apricot. 



The moth is well known in Germany, where it is called the 

 Harlequin Moth (3). It is also common in France. 



The damage is done by the small caterpillars in the spring, but 

 they are usually undetected until they are nearing maturity, and 

 then, the foliage becoming badly eaten, remedies are adopted. The 

 damage, however, is mainly done to the opening buds and young 

 leaves. 



Infestation may come from woods and hedgerows. The cater- 

 pillars have a very varied diet otherwise than cultivated fruit, for 

 we frequently find them swarming on hazel, sloe, maple, spindle and 

 other trees. 



LIFE- HISTORY AND HABITS. 



This moth belongs to the same family as the Winter Moth, 

 namely, the Geometridce, the caterpillars being " Loopers " or 

 " Measurers." 



The moth is about 1^ inch in wing expanse, but the size is most 

 variable. The writer has bred specimens only 1^ inch, others over 

 If inch across the expanded wings. The colour is creamy-white, 

 spotted with black; the base of the fore wings has orange-yellow 

 between the black spots, and there is a band of yellow on the surface 

 of the wings between the double row of black spots seen in the 

 specimen in the photograph ; the hind wings are like the front, but 

 have no yellow ; the thorax and abdomen are also yellow and black. 

 The male can be told from the female by the antennae being pec- 

 tinated. All variations exist ; 

 some specimens show very few 

 black spots, others in which 

 the black spots so completely 

 unite that the moth is almost 

 black. 



The latter, so-called rnelanic 

 forms, occur mainly in the damp, 

 humid localities on the west 

 of Scotland, and I have taken 

 melanic varieties in the Channel 

 Islands, notably Sark. The 

 whole structure of the moth 

 is light and fragile, almost 



butterfly-like. They fly very leisurely, generally soon after sunset, 

 but it is not uncommon to find them on the wing even during the 



FIG. 1: 

 THE MAGPIE MOTH (Air 



[F. Edetulen. 

 grossulariata). 



