INJURIOUS INSECTS 



lines. The female has only rudimentary wings, and crawls up the stems 

 of fruit-trees and others to lay groups of eggs in the chinks of the bark, 

 as many as 200 eggs being laid by one moth. Roses growing in kitchen 

 gardens or near orchards are sometimes badly damaged. The pale green 

 or yellowish " looper " caterpillars are busy in May, and few larvae do greater 

 damage. " Grease-banding " is the most effective method of preventing the 

 passage of the wingless females up the trees in autumn and winter. Spray- 

 ing with quassia chips or paraffin solution will make the foliage unpleasant 

 and distasteful to the caterpillars, so that they die of starvation or fall 

 from the trees. 



The Mottled Umber or Great Winter Moth {Hybernia defoliaria) is well 

 deserving of its specific name, for sometimes the trees which it attacks are 

 left as bare as in winter. The fore-wings of the male are dull yellow, sprinkled 

 with rusty brown, expanding about If in. ; the hind- wings are yellowish- 

 white, with a small central dot. The apterous female has a stout ochre-yellow 

 body, with two longitudinal rows of black spots. As many as 400 eggs 

 may be laid by one female. The larva is reddish-brown, with a broad 

 sulphur-yellow stripe on the sides. It feeds on fruit-trees, as well as Lime, 

 Oak, Beech, Birch, Elm, Blackthorn, Whitethorn, Hazel, and Hornbeam. 

 It is prevalent in May and June, and the moth is seen in October and 

 November. The treatment is the same as for the Winter Moth. 



The March Moth {Amsopteryx aesmlaria) resembles the previous two 

 species in the apterous condition of the female, and the eggs are laid round 

 twigs, somewhat similarly to those of the Lackey. The male moth is found 

 in March and April, being often seen on gas lamps. The fore-wings are 

 of a grey-brown tint, with a darker central transverse band, edged on either 

 side with a pale wavy line. The green larva is abundant everywhere in 

 May, feeding on Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Oak, Elm, and Lime. 



The Vapourer (Orgyia antiqua) is common not only in the country, but 



may be seen flying about the crowded thoroughfares of large cities. The 



male varies from f in. to 11 in. across the fore- wings, which are of various 



shades of rich chestnut brown, with a white spot near the hinder angle ; 



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