INSECTS. 201 



eat up their own abode. The one that is most destructive 

 to the grape in this vicinity is a small green caterpillar 

 about one half inch long, and about one twentieth of an 

 inch in diameter. This variety is also found in abundance 

 on the rose. Mr. Harris named it the 

 Loxotcenia Rosaceana. The moth, 

 Fig. 84, is described by him as fol- 

 lows : " The fore wings of this moth 

 are very much arched on their outer 

 edge, and curve in the contrary direc- Fi s- 84 - 



tion at the tip, like a little hook or short tail." 



They are of a light cinnamon-brown color, crossed with 

 little wavy darker brown lines, and with three broad 

 oblique dark-brown bands, whereof one covers the base of 

 the wing, and is oftentimes indistinct or wanted ; the sec- 

 ond crosees the middle of the wing ; and the third, which 

 is broad on the front edge and narrow behind, is near the 

 outer hind margin of the wing. The hind wings are ochre 

 yellow, with the folded part next to the body blackish. It 

 expands an inch or a little more. 



Whale-oil soap, diluted in water, is said to be destructive 

 to these insects. It may kill the caterpillars provided it 

 reaches them ; but there is the difficulty, as they are rolled 

 up within the leaf, where no liquid thrown over the vine 

 will be likely to reach them. Picking them off and crush- 

 ing has been my usual method of destroying them. 



THRIPS. 



These are very minute insects, scarce exceeding one 

 sixteenth of an inch in length. They are usually of a pale 

 greenish yellow color, or nearly white. They attack the 

 under side of the leaves, and their presence is soon shown 

 by the pale green or yellow spots which appear upon the 

 upper side. The thrip seldom attacks the vine in the open 

 air, confining itself mainly to those that are grown under 



9* 



