84 INSECT PESTS 



Earwigs, injurious to fruit and flowers, are best trapped 

 with hay in inverted flower pots. 



Every one has experienced the disgust with which one 

 discovers " the goodly apple rotten at the core " and has 

 crushed the offending maggot, if present, underfoot, as 

 soon as it has been brought to hght. This is usually the 

 work of the Codlin Moth {Carpocapsa pomonella) wliich 

 measures about J inch across the fore wings, being dark 

 grey with wavy brown lines, and the hind wings a 

 uniform tint of grey-brown. (See Plate 19.) 



The moths hatch out at the end of May and fly at dusk, 

 when the female lays her eggs singly on the young fruit, 

 or else on the leaves and twigs. The grubs enter the 

 apple through the calyx or " eye " and eat away the pulp 

 around the core. The period of growth is about four 

 weeks, when it bores its way out again and turns into a 

 brown chrysaUs in a chink of bark or among dead leaves. 



All rubbish should be cleared away and harbouring 

 crevices opened out as much as possible. An alkaline 

 winter-wash is useful. Arsenate of Lead in the spring 

 is also recommended, but remember that this must not 

 be done until after the blossom has fallen or there will 

 be danger of poisoning the bees. In any case I think 

 that the alkaline wash is best, added to the vigilance 

 which spells real success against all these troubles. 



Rotted cores may also be the work of the Apple Saw- 

 fly {Tenthredo testudinea). The maggots of this and 

 the preceding insect are often confused, but the Codlin 

 Moth has only eight pairs of legs, whereas the Sawfly 

 boasts of ten. In colour the Sawfly is black above 

 and reddish yellow underneath. It measures about | 

 inch across the wings. (See Plate 19.) 



The adult fly leaves the cocoon at the beginning of 

 May when the trees are in flower and sits on the blossoms. 

 Sticky fly-traps might be suspended in the trees in fine 

 weather. The egg is laid on the blooms, one on each, 

 after which the fate of that apple is sealed. The period 



