THE APPLE. 65 



prolific in the spring. The fall moth, as shown 

 at a, Fig. 4, and the spring moth at 5, are both 

 wingless females, the male moth in each case be- 

 ing provided with four wings. 

 After frosts, late in the fall or 

 early in the spring, the female 

 moth wearily ascends the trunk 

 of a tree and awaits the arrival r *s- 4 - 



the male. The eggs are laid side by side in 

 exposed clusters on the surface of the twigs, 

 often a hundred, or more, in a cluster. The 

 worm hatches nearly with the opening of the 

 buds in the spring, and matures in from four to 

 six weeks, when it is a dark olive-green cater- 

 pillar about one inch in length. From its 

 method of moving it is often called the measuring 

 worm or looper. When matured, they descend 

 by the trunks or by silken threads, and enter- 

 ing the ground from two to six inches, they form 

 a buff-colored cocoon, in which the chrysalids 

 remain until late fall or spring. As the female 

 moth is wingless and slow of motion, this pest is 

 local, and is slow in distribution. But wher- 

 ever it is prevalent, as in many parts of New 

 England, if unchecked it is the utter ruin of the 

 apple, the elm, and other vegetation upon which 

 it feeds. Often not a vestige of foliage is left 

 remaining upon the trees, and as this occurs in 



5 



