THE CURRANT CLEARWIXG MOTH. 



2 7 



Dusting the plants, in the evening, with soot, soot and 

 sulphur, wood-ashes, etc., will also prove beneficial. 



THE CURRANT CLEARWING MOTH. 



Sesia tipultformis, Linn. 



The larvae of this moth have been forwarded in both currant 

 and gooseberry stems, and are responsible for much damage to 

 these plants in South and South East Staffordshire, South Derby- 

 shire, North Warwickshire, and East Leicestershire. 



The first larvae this year were noticed on May 8th. They 

 are a pale yellowish-white, smooth, shiny, dorsal line slightly 



' 



a c b 



FIG. XII. THE CURRANT CLEARWING MOTK. 



a. Portion of injured stem with moth emerging, b. Portion of stem damaged 



by larva, c. The moth. 



darker ; head, brownish with a triangular mark on the face ; 

 the second segment has a pale yellowish-brown horny plate. 

 Distributed over the whole of the body are numerous slightly 

 raised spots, from each of which proceeds a short, dark, bristly 

 hair. 



The female moth lays her eggs close to the leaf buds, and on 

 hatching out the larvae commence to eat their way into the internal 

 portion of the shoots where they feed upon the pith, travelling 

 downwards. 



