128 

 GoosEBKiiRY Worm or Caterpillar {OiniiiiniiiicJiiis iiitiii-niliciihitiis. Hartif.). 



(Fig. 34.) 



Ill the injurious stagy of tlieir existence tliey are small green caterpillars 

 which feed voraciously upon the leaves of gooseberry and currant bushes. 

 This .species is a native one, identified from specimens of the parent fly, bred 

 by the Kev. G. W. Taylor, of Xanaiiuo. The parents are members of the saw- 

 fl.v family, and there are at least two or three broods of these pests in a 

 season. Late appearing broods, which are generally very numerous, are 

 often neglected, and infested bushes become defoliated in a very short time. 



The first brood usually appears early in Ma.v. At this time there may onl.v 

 be a comparativel.y small number of the larvje, but it is important to destroy 

 these, as each succeeding brood is vastly increased in numbers under natural 

 conditions. The eggs from which the larvae hatch are deposited on leaves near 

 the base of the branches, and the young caterpillars can be destroyed with a 

 minimum of labour and expense, if attacked in the early stage of their 

 existence. 



Hellebore bas been found the best remed.v for this pest. It may be used in 

 the form of a dry powder, or in water as a spray, at the rate of 1 oz. to 2 

 gallons water. On a large scale Leggefs I'owder Gun is a very quick and 

 economical means for applying dry hellebore; by its use there is a great 

 saving of time iu the application as well as material. 



If desired, Paris green mixed with dry flour, at the rate of 1 oz. to 4 lbs. 

 flour, can be used to dust the bushes for the early brood, or as a siiray. but 

 would not be advisable for later use, when fruit is on the bushes. 



The Impobted Cukrant-Worm (yeiinitiin rcntricostis. Ring). 



The insect appears soon after the currant and gooseberry bushes put 

 forth their leaves, and the eggs are laid upon the under surface of the lower 

 leaves, alon.g the principal veins. The eggs hatch in a week or ten days into 

 a pale, twenty-legged caterpillar, with a large, dull, whitish head. They soon 

 become green and accquire shining black spots on the bod.v, and the head 

 becomes black. The full-grown worms are about three-fourths of an inch 

 long, and are shown iu various positions in Figure 34a; ii ,-in<l h give tlie 

 position of the black spots upon magnified .loint of the body. When they 

 have completed their growth they leave the bushes and either hide .I'ust 

 below the surface of the ground or under any leaves that may be on the sur- 

 face, spin a thin cococm of brownish silk, within which they assume the pupa 

 state. Late in June, or early in Jul.v, sometimes not until August, the perfect 



