212 



Insect Pests. 



A CURRANT FRUIT MOTH. 



(Spilonota roborana. Tr. ?) 



When investigating- tlie condition of the orchards and plantations 

 in Worcestershire in 1906, my attention was drawn to a curious 

 attack in black currants by Mr. Denis Best at Temple Laugherne 

 and by Captain Crane at Stourport and others (2). The attacked 

 berries when seen in August were still hanging in a mummified 

 condition on the bushes and all showed, as pointed out to me by 

 those on the spot, the large round hole seen in the photograph 

 (Fig. 162). 



Collinge also reports this pest in Worcestershire at Mr. Best's (1), 

 and says it is Spilonota roborann. 



[F. Edenden. 



FIG. 162. A BLACK CURRANT FRUIT MOTH (sp?) AND ATTACKED CURRANT. 



The larvie apparently feed in the ripening currants, hollow them 

 out, and then leave them as dried masses which hang on after the 

 fruit is gathered. 1'upre were found amongst dead leaves on the 

 bushes and from these two moths were bred out, namely Spilonota 

 roborana and Hcmeroxia rhccdiclla ; which is the culprit is not known 

 definitely at present, and I am not sure that it is either, for the mere 

 finding of pupie spun up around the damaged fruit is not necessarily 

 a sign that they have come from the larva: eating the currants. 



Until some more observations have been made it is not advisable 

 to deal with this subject further. 



The Spilonota roborana bred from pupse taken from Captain 

 Crane's bushes feeds normally in rose shoots, but occurs now and 

 then on apple and other plants ; it appears in April and May. 



These facts do not tally with the damage done to the currants. 



The other species bred out, Hcmcroxia rhccdiclla, normally feeds 

 on apple and hawthorn. 



