364 



Insect Pests. 



Specimens were received in 1894 from Headley, tlie maggots 

 being found in tlieir cocoons under tlie " shreds '" used for nailing 

 wall trees. It has also been reported as being very troublesome in 

 some years in the Isle of Thanet. 



Besides feeding on culti^'ated plums and damsons, it also feeds on 

 the sloe and other wild prunes. 



LlFE-HlST01!Y AND HaBITS. 



The moth appears in June and July. The female places her egg 



FIG. 23 

 «, entrance Iiol 



17''. r. Theobald. 

 .UJI ATTACKED BY THE EED MAGGOT OF OpCldict funebraiia. 



of larva ; }>, larva ; c, cavity eaten out around sto 



(?, gallery to stone. 



at the base of the stalk, and in ten days the small caterpillar hatches, 

 and at once enters the fruitlet. 



The moth is about \ inch in wing expanse. The fore wings are 

 purplish-grey, clouded with smoky-grey ; at the anal angle is an 

 indistinct ocellated patch, edged with shiny pale grey and enclosing 

 four black dots. Stainton (3) describes the fore wings as grey, clouded 



