28 SECOND REPORT ON ECONOMIC BIOLOGY. 



have done considerable damage to cabbage and lettuce and to a variety 

 of flowering plants, whilst a few orchards have suffered by their 

 depredations on gooseberry and currant bushes, and plum trees. 



LIFE-HISTORY. 



The moths make their appearance in June or July. The female 

 deposits from thirty to forty eggs on the food-plants during July and 

 August, the larvae from which become full-fed in four or five weeks, 

 then measuring about an inch and a half in length. They are exceed- 

 ingly variable in colour, such being partly due to their food, and 

 partly protective. It is no uncommon thing to find grey-coloured 

 larvae on grey parts of a plant, brown ones on brown parts, and others 

 of a deep green colour on deep green leaves. 



The mature larvae fall to the ground, changing to deep brown 

 coloured pupae in the earth beneath the food-plant, where they remain 

 until the following year. 



PREVENTIVE AND REMEDIAL MEASURES. 



Where they are not spread over a large area hand picking soon 

 reduces their numbers. In vegetable gardens I have found that large 

 numbers may be destroyed by watering with a hose and a good force 

 of water. 



In the autumn, ground known to be infested with the pupae should 

 be lightly forked, and ducks or fowls allowed to run over. 



On fruit and other trees spraying with arsenate of lead is effective. 



THE WOOD LEOPARD MOTH. 



Zeuzera aesciili, Linn. 



The larvae of this moth have been received from quite a number 

 of localities during the past year. Four cases related to pear trees, 

 three to apple and two to cherry trees. It is also known to attack 

 ash, aspen, beech, birch, chestnut, elm, hawthorn, holly, maple, oak, 

 poplar, privet, quince, walnut and willow. 



LIFE-HISTORY. 



The moth appears in June, and the female deposits a large number 

 of oval orange-coloured eggs in the crevices of the bark of the stem 



