278 LEPIDOPTERA. 



blue moth, expanding an inch and a half, or more. The male 

 is much smaller than the female (Fig. 207), expanding one inch. 

 She deposits her eggs near the root of the tree. The larvae are 

 hatched and bore in to feed upon the inner bark and sap wood. 

 When one year old they make their cocoon under the bark or 

 at the root of the tree. Borers of all sizes, Harris states, will 

 be found in the trees throughout the year. 



The trees should be protected by wrapping sheathing paper 

 around the bottom of the trunk, and putting fresh mortar around 

 the roots. The wounded part may be cov- 

 ered with clay. ^Egeria pyri Harris infests 

 the pear tree. It is purple black above and 

 golden yellow beneath, with three yellow 

 bands across the abdomen, the middle band 

 Fig. 206. being the larger. 



The habits of the Grape-root borer, ^. polistiformis Harris, 

 resemble those of the Peach-tree borer. It sometimes de- 

 stroys grape-vines in the Middle and Western States, but does 

 not attack the Scuppernong variety. The larva lives under 

 ground, the female, according to Walsh, "depositing her egg 

 on the collar of the grape-vine, close to the earth ; the young 

 larvae, as soon as they hatch out, immediately descend into 

 the roots." They attack the sap-wood and bark of the roots, 

 eating irregular furrows. The cocoons are oval, and covered 

 with bits of wood and dirt. They are 

 found, through the summer, in the earth 

 near the roots of the grape, and the moths 

 fly from the middle of June until the mid- 

 dle of September, according to Dr. Kron. 

 Harris describes the moth as being dark 

 Fig. 207. brown, tinged with tawny orange on the 



sides, and banded with bright yellow upon the edge of the 

 second abdominal ring. The thorax and fourth abdominal 

 ring are faintly tinged with yellow, or tawny orange, as are 

 the palpi, under side of the antennae, and the legs. The female 

 has a little orange colored tuft on each side of the tail, and 

 the males have two tufts on each side. The wings expand 

 from one to one and a half inches. Another species, ^E. 

 caudata Harris, inhabits the wild currant. 



