66 First Report on Economic Zoology. 



Fletcher and Slinfrerland have found that the 



eggs 



hatch in late 



summer and early autumn and that winter is passed in the larval 

 stage. This is undoubtedly the usvial case, but that some hibernate 

 in the ^igg condition I think very probable, as I have found young 

 larvae in the early spring not more than one-twelfth of an inch long, 

 whilst those that hibernate are considerably larger. 



The eggs (Fig. 5, e) are flat, round or oval, the centre being 

 slightly elevated, they are very transparent and look like little drops 

 of gum on the leaf. When several are laid together they overlap 

 one another like fish scales. In general appearance they resemble 

 the ova of the Codling Moth ; the outer edge is marked with a well 

 defined reticulate sculpturing ; the central part of the egg is usually 

 green, the colour being due to the developing larva within showing 

 through. 



The egg stage lasts from seven to ten days. The young larvae on 

 coming from the egg at once commence to feed upon the lower layers 

 of the leaf, foiming for themselves a little tube of silk open at each 

 end and attached to the leaf, usually at the mid-rib. When feeding 



off the leaf the larvae foim a slight silken web 

 which serves as a protection for them. In this 

 manner the larvae go on feeding until about the 

 middle of September, by which time they are 

 about half grown. Professors Slingerland and 

 Fletcher were the first to show that these small 

 larvae pass the winter in small silken cases on the 

 trees, as inconspicuous objects covered with dirt 

 and not more than one-eighth of an inch long. 

 These winter houses (Fig. 6) are found at the 

 base of a bud or under a dead leaf or bud scale. 

 When quite young the larvae are green, and 

 this is the colour most usually found when 

 they are in their "houses." When the buds 

 commence to swell they crawl out and enter 

 them and become dull reddish-brown with black 

 head and black first segment ; when nearly 

 mature they become a more pronounced reddish- 

 brown, the dark head, first segment and legs showing up pro- 

 minently. When quite mature they reach half-an-inch in length. 

 During the latter part of their Ufe they feed amongst the leaves, 

 which they spin together, and pupate in a tube of dead leaves 

 as previously described. The pupa is bright brown, with two rows 

 of backwardly projecting spines on each segment. 



Fig. 6.' 



Twig with larval cases (a) of 

 Bud Moth and buds (6). 



