232 HORTICULTURE FOR SCHOOLS 



injury to the fruit consists of scabbing and distortion because 

 of portions eaten away by the larva. 



The adult is a little moth having a wing expanse of about 

 five-eighths of an inch to 1 inch. It is rusty brown in color 

 with more or less lighter brown or white markings on the 

 wings. The eggs are laid on the bark of the fruit-trees in the 

 summer. These may be found in little masses of ten to one 

 hundred fifty eggs covered with a protective varnish-like 

 secretion. In shape the clusters are more or less oval or 

 circular, the greater length being about three-sixteenths of an 

 inch and the lesser about one-eighth of an inch. 



Hatching is in the spring just after the buds begin to burst 

 open. The period of hatching is somewhat long and larvae 

 may be emerging from the eggs in the same mass for two 

 weeks or more. Immediately after hatching, the larvae seek 

 as a feeding place the unfolded buds, which are often injured 

 to the extent that they drop from the trees. The larva spins 

 a web about the leaves in the bud, sometimes preventing 

 unfolding. When fully grown or after feeding for about three 

 weeks, the larvae pupate, usually on the foliage, changing to 

 the moth stage in about two weeks. The moth then lays 

 eggs, and the life cycle begins again. There is only one brood 

 of the insect during the season. 



Control is best accomplished by a very thorough applica- 

 tion of miscible oil. This material can be purchased in the 

 market and requires only dilution with water before being 

 applied. This should be done at the rate of one gallon of the 

 spray material to fifteen gallons of water. 



343 . Canker-worms. Fruit-trees are frequently attacked 

 by canker-worms, of which there are two species, the spring 

 and the fall canker-worm. The eggs of the spring insect 

 are deposited during the months of March and April, hatch- 

 ing shortly after growth of the trees begins, the larvae feeding 

 on the foliage. The eggs of the fall species are laid about 

 August or September, the winter season being spent in this 



