34 REPORT ON INJURIOUS INSECTS FOR 1904. 



The Great Winter Moth (Fig. XVII) has been received only 

 once. 



PREVENTIVE AND REMEDIAL MEASURES. 



It is very important that the grease bands should be put 

 on the trees at the beginning of October, and kept in a soft and 

 sticky condition. 



Before banding, all rough or loose bark should be removed. 

 Then take strips of stout paper about six inches wide (stout 

 paper is much better than the thin grease-proof paper used 

 by provision merchants), and tie with strong wet twine an inch 

 below the top of the band and an inch above the bottom, then 

 coat with cart grease. 



Miss Ormerod ( x ) mentions a correspondent who obtained 

 excellent results from the use of cart grease and soft-soap, mixed 

 to the required consistency with train oil and applied once a 

 week. This, in my opinion, is more effective than the grease 

 alone. 



With reference to spraying, hitherto Paris green has proved 

 the most valuable, but from experiments made in America by 

 Professor Webster and by Mr. Fred V. Theobald in this country, 

 arsenate of lead has proved to be much superior. It is not 

 so easily washed off by rain, it has little, if any, burning action 

 on the leaves and its killing power is fully equal to, if not greater 

 than Paris green. On the other hand, the Department of Agri- 

 culture of Victoria, from experiments made, recommend Paris 

 green, stating that it is more lasting and less dangerous to the 

 foliage. 



THE BUFF TIP MOTH. 



Pygaera bucephala, Steph. 



Correspondents in Leicestershire, South Derbyshire, North- 

 amptonshire and Warwickshire report considerable damage to 

 elm, beech, oak and hazel trees, 1 due to the larvae of this moth. 



It is a common species, plentifully distributed throughout 

 Great Britain, and in dry seasons, like that of the past year, it 

 often proves troublesome to both foliage and fruit trees. 



LIFE-HISTORY. 



The moth makes its appearance about the middle of June, 

 and the female deposits her eggs on the underside of the leaves 

 in groups varying in number from twenty to sixty. Owing 

 to their large size they are somewhat conspicuous. When 

 looked at from above they are seen to be rounded and pearly 

 white, while towards the base they are greenish and flat beneath. 



In ten: or twelve days they hatch out, and undergo the first 

 moult about ten days later. In early life the larvae are gre- 



i. Op. cit., p. 346. 



