INJURIOUS INSECTS 



familiar. When once established it is most difficult to eradicate, and the 

 larvae will often completely strip the bushes of their leaves, together with 

 the young fruit. The fly appears in April, the female being about ?. in. 

 long, with a wing expanse of over \ in. Eggs are laid on the underside 

 of the leaves, and hatch in about eight days. After the first change of skin 

 the larvae are green, with numerous black spots. Having fed for about twenty 

 days, they spin cocoons upon, or just beneath, the surface of the earth, and 

 may produce a summer brood after another twenty days. They may, how- 

 ever, burrow more deeply in the ground, and remain there till the next spring. 

 Hand-picking and spraying may be resorted to in the earliest stages, or lime 

 may be dusted over the bushes when wet. The ground under infested bushes 

 should be dressed with quick-lime in the autumn, being dug deeply to destroy 

 the cocoons, and the ground is sometimes beaten down in spring to prevent 

 the flies coming up from the cocoons. 



The Pear and Cherry Saw-fly {Eriocampa limacina) and others of its genus 

 are known in the larval stage as Slugworms, a name made very appropriate 

 by reason of the dark, green, slimy exudation which covers the body in the 

 early period of its growth. At this time the larva resembles a malformed 

 slug or tadpole, and it spends the time in eating away all the soft tissues 

 from the upper surface of the leaf. It attains a length of nearly h in. at 

 the end of a month, and after losing its slug-like character, pupates in the 

 ground in a cocoon of silk and earth. The pupal stage lasts two weeks in 

 the summer, and there may be two or more broods. The late brood pass 

 the winter in the larval stage beneath the earth, and pupate in the spring. 

 The larva? infest fruit-trees, especially Pear and Cherry, and are occasionally 

 seen on some species of Thorns, as well as Oak, Birch, and other forest-trees. 

 Paris Green, Hellebore wash, or arsenate of lead are sometimes used before 

 the fruit is ripe. The ground round infested trees should be well dug and 

 prong-hoed in early spring, and quick-lime hoed in, after which the earth 

 may be beaten down to prevent the flies coming up. 



The Rose Slugworm {Eriocampa rosw) works in much the same way as 

 the previous species. The larva is pale yellowish-green, with a darker line 



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