THE CODLIN MOTH. 45 



CHAPTEE VII. 



THE CODLIN MOTH. 



( Carpocapsa pomonella. Linn.) 



Order : Lepidoptera. Family : Tortricidce. 



This hitherto much dreaded pest of the orchardist is 

 said to have made its appearance into Victoria about 35 

 years ago, as Mr. J. C. Cole informs me that his father 

 had at that time a Windsor pear tree rendered next to use- 

 less from the attacks of the larvae or grubs of this moth. 



The true Codlin Moth is supposed then to have been 

 imported from England during the comparatively early 

 days of the colony, presumably either on fruit trees or in 

 cases, but for our purpose it matters not which. 



Many years ago I quite recollect the disputes which 

 arose as to whether our so-called Codlin Moth was really 

 identical with that of the old country, and many were the 

 controversies arising therefrom. 



This matter has now been fairly set at rest, as good 

 specimens reared from both bands and fruit have been 

 available for the purposes of comparison, the results of 

 which have placed their identity beyond doubt. Mr. 

 Crawford tells us that its presence was not identified in 

 South Australia until Christmas, 1885; and Mr. Kirk 

 writes as having seen grub-eaten apples some years pre- 

 vious to 1874, at which date it was first noticed in Auck- 

 land, New Zealand, the fruit having come from Tasmania, 

 and he, Mr. Kirk, is doubtful whether the pest was intro- 

 duced in the first place from California or from Tasmania, 

 but Mr. Crawford thinks the latter surmise to be the 

 correct one. 



It is an unfortunate fact for us in Victoria, that with 

 the vast extension of the fruit-growing industry here, this 

 pest has increased and spread with alarming rapidity, and, 

 as if not content with attacking apples and pears, it has 



