THE SNOW-WHITE LINDEN MOTH 55 



in the central part of the State experienced similar flights of myriads 

 of the spruce bud moths. These moths could not have bred in such 

 numbers on ornamental spruces in the near vicinity of the towns invaded 

 but must have come from some forested areas, perhaps at long distances 

 from the towns invaded. Thus we have an undoubted second instance of 

 a moth which has certainly flown long distances from the feeding places 

 of its larvae. 



THE DANGER AS A FRUIT PEST 



The first reference to this insect as a fruit pest that the writer finds 

 is by Thomas in his Second Illinois Report, in which he says that he 

 twice found the larvae on apple trees, though not in large numbers, 

 and had reared them to the perfect insect on the leaves of this tree. 

 In 1880, Comstock, quoting a correspondent, says that the larvae were 

 damaging fruit-trees in Georgia. In 1882, Dodge, in the Canadian 

 Entomologist, quoting from the same correspondent in Georgia, writes 

 that the "apple trees in June last were as destitute of leaves as in mid- 

 winter, the fruit growing to the size of marbles and falling off." 



In 1904, Garman writes of this insect as an important pest of the 

 apple tree in Muhlenberg Co., Kentucky. It was especially injurious 

 in 1903 but not so serious in 1904, due probably to the work of parasites. 

 Again, in 1908, Garman treats of this pest as a serious one on apple 

 trees and says that this species "is sometimes very common locally 

 and may defoliate whole orchards at times." In his 23rd Report, Felt 

 says very significantly, "It would not be surprising if a number of 

 outbreaks, hitherto attributed to our more common canker worms, 

 were in reality the work of this species/' 



It is quite evident that we have in this insect a possible future fruit- 

 tree pest of considerable importance. It apparently used to be con- 

 fined to the shade-trees of our cities but it has now almost entirely 

 deserted these for our forest-trees. It would not be at all surprising in 

 view of the history of this insect if the future should see it migrating 

 from the forest-trees to our fruit-trees and becoming a serious pest. 



DISTRIBUTION 



Evidently this insect is widely distributed over the Middle and East- 

 ern United States, and it occurs in Canada. It has been recorded from 

 Nova Scotia to Georgia and westward through Michigan, Kentucky, 

 Iowa and Colorado. In New York State, the moths have been reported 

 from Delaware, Ulster, Sullivan, Rensselaer, Albany, Columbia, Sara- 

 toga, Schenectady, Herkimer, Fulton and Oneida Counties, and from 

 the northeastern part of the State in the Adirondacks. 



