146 



Japanese Feuit-Borer (Lavcrna hcrcllcra). 



An item appeared in a tiaper publisLietl in Sacramento. Cal.. in November, 

 1907, to the effect tliat 0,000 boxes of apples from Orcas Island had been con- 

 demned in San Francisco on accomit of being infected with bnd moth, and that 

 a quarantine liad been declared against British Columbia fruit for the same 

 reason. This absurd statement naturally called forth ,ni liKiinry from thi.s 

 Department as to what was really meant. 'Whereupou Mr. J. \V. Jeffrey, the 

 State Commissioner for California, explained that the apples iu question had 

 been condemned by Sir. E. M. Ehrhorn, on account of being infested with the 

 Japanese Fruit-Borer (Laverna licreUera). Mr. Jeffrey remarks furthermore; 

 '• The mistalce as to the identity of this insect was not ours, and I hope you 

 will give the facts to your people." 



Mr. Ehrhiiru, who, Mr. Jeffrej- says, is an entomologist of national reputa- 

 tion, says : — 



'• Your letter of Janmiry 0th, addressed to Mr. J. W. Jeffrey. State Com- 

 missioner of Horticulture, Sacramento, Cal., was sent to me, as in it you 

 express a desire for siieciniens and a description of the iiest found in a shiji- 

 ment of apjiles from Orcas Island. I am sorry to say that I have no specimens 

 of the insect, which is the apple frnit-borer, Lavcnia hcrcUcra, and not the 

 bud moth Tmeioccra occelana, as was reported In the various papers. I don"t 

 know how your Province came to be mentioned, but sometimes reporters get 

 things mixed. I have from the start said that the fruit came from Orcas 

 Island and was shi])ped from Bellingham to San Francisco." 



Under the circumstances, it is considered best to publish the following 

 descriptions of two Jajianese insects taken from the V. S. Year Book, 1.S07 ; — 



" Of Jap.-nie.se insects we need mention at this time only two species. 

 These are the apple fruit-borer (Lavcrna hcrellcra, Dup.) and tlie pear fruit- 

 borer CScphofllerijx riihrizoncjln. Rag.). Accounts of each have been sent us 

 by Prof. M. Matsunuira, of the Agricultural College at Sajiporo. The figures 

 which we introduce of these two insects are re-drawn from Prof. JIatsumura"s 

 sketches. 



Apple Fruit-Borer (Lareniu lui-rUrrii. Dtp.) 



" Is said to be the most tronlilesome insect with wliich the fruit-growers 

 of Japan have to contend. It is thought to have been introduced into the 

 country, and is now- met with there wherever apples are grown. The larva* 

 live only in the core of the apple, injuring the seeds. They ni:iturc iu .-ibout a 

 montli. make a passage through the flesh of the fruit, crawl nr ilmp i<i the 

 ground or emerge from tlie fallen fruit, malving white cocoons in tlie earth 

 and hibernating in the pupa stage. It produces only one brood each season. 



" (^)n the day that these words were written, November 11th, 1S97, parts 

 of two apples were received from ilr. Craw', at San Francisco, which a 

 pasesenger on the steamer from Japan had given him, and wbii-li showed 

 evidence of the work of what is very pi'obably this insect. Nn specimens of 

 the in.sect Itself were fciund. but tlie .-ipples contained the larval burrows lend- 

 ing to the core, and two of the seeds had been eaten out. It is not likely that 

 the passengers would have bought danuiged api)les in Japan, and. therefore. 



