118 INSECT PESTS 



As will be realized, it would be impossible to take even 

 the briefest survey of all these families here, considering 

 that the labours of Henry Stainton on the British Tinea 

 alone have filled thirteen good-sized volumes, although 

 any one of the " micros " may turn up in full force under 

 favourable conditions when we least expect it. Our best 

 plan is to watch their methods and break the chain at 

 the weak spot. If it is a leaf-miner, spray the foliage 

 early enough, when nearly full out, and so kill the first 

 brood as it hatches. If it is a " twister " gather up all 

 the nests with the greatest care and burn them. If it is a 

 fruit eater, clear out pupse from chinks of bark and under 

 the so'l, and so forth. 



The Vine Tortrix, C. ambiguella, already referred to, 

 first appears out of the chrysaHs, which lies in crevices 

 of bark, in springtime, fluttering about and seeking the 

 young buds on which to lay its eggs one by one. The 

 caterpillars spin several flower-buds together and gnaw 

 them about, soon passing on to another cluster, thus 

 doing great damage. They feed for about a month, and 

 then in June spin up a cocoon, from which they hatch 

 out as moths a fortnight later. (See Plate 25.) 



Now begins the worst injury, for the second brood 

 attacks all the unaffected fruits, laying eggs on the stalks, 

 the larvae boring into the grapes and thereafter behaving 

 much Uke Codhn moths in apples. The second pupation 

 takes place in among the loose bark where they pass the 

 winter. Spraying with caustic potash and careful removal 

 of convenient hiding-places is the treatment. The moth 

 itself is, like most Tortrices, a dainty httle affair, about 

 f inch across the fore-wings, these being creamy buff with 

 light sepia markings, and with a broad band, almost 

 black, tapering down from the front margin. The hind 

 wings are white with smoky grey outer margin, beautifully 

 fringed. 



Not to be diverted with the beauty of the moth, we 

 must keep busy with potash and scraper if we wish to 



