THE HANDMAID MOTH. 443 



ascent. They cannot pass over the lower edge, and 

 therefore slide off and fall to the ground, to repeat 

 the attempt until they become aware of their ina- 

 bility to reach the limbs. This collar must be made 

 of zinc, and not of tin, for the latter will rust, and 

 thus afford the worms access to the top of the tree. 

 Orchards thus treated have been entirely free from 

 these pests, while those in the immediate vicinity 

 were entirely deprived of foliage. 



(9) The Handmaid Moth — Eumetopona ministra : 

 Drury. This is one of the worst insects affecting 

 the apple. It commences at the tip of the limb, and 

 entirely strips the tree of foliage. Like the palmer 

 worm, these seldom make their appearance in suffi- 

 cient numbers to do any great harm. The caterpil- 

 lars are yellow or black, feed while huddled together 

 on the under surface of the leaves, and gnaw at the 

 margin. If they are alarmed, they throw their tails 

 at right angles to their bodies, and their heads up 

 over their backs, and remain in this posture until 

 the danger is past. They are from six to eight 

 weeks in attaining their full size, and appear as 

 moths about the middle of June. They then deposit 

 from seventy to one hundred eggs, which are glued 

 together on the surface of the leaf In the latter 

 part of July, when the worm is hatched, it com- 

 mences to consume the leaf In September it enters 

 the soil to the depth of two or three inches. No 

 effectual method for their destruction is known 



