LAPPET MOTH. 



insects, the females being sometimes as much as three inches and a 

 quarter in the spread of the fore wings ; of the two specimens before 

 me, the female is just above three inches, the male just above two 

 inches in expanse. The colours are rich brown, marked transversely 

 on the fore wings with three irregularly disposed dark scalloped lines ; 

 the hinder wings are somewhat similarly marked, and the hinder 

 margins of both wings scalloped or indented at the edge. When at 

 rest, the fore edge of the hind wings, which is somewhat dilated, pro- 

 jects, so as to be very noticeable, beyond and from under the fore edge 

 of the fore wing, thus giving an appearance much like a dead brown 

 leaf to the moth, which probably often secures it from observation, and 

 from which it takes its specific name of Queni folia, or " Oak-leaf." 



The early life-history of the caterpillars is stated to be for them to 

 hatch in September, and to moult once, and to spend the winter 

 extended on a twig of their food-plant, and in the following season to 

 complete their growth. This autumn appearance of the young grub it 

 will be seen agrees with what was considered to be the case in the 

 course of the observations made at Messrs. Cranston's nurseries. 



The first notes were sent me on the 8th of May, by Messrs. 

 Cranston & Co., from King's Acre, Hereford, accompanying a fine 

 nearly full-grown specimen of the grey variety of the caterpillar, sent 

 as a sample of an infestation on their Apple trees. On the 15th of 

 May they wrote further, and mentioned : — 



" We have not discovered it upon our Apple trees until this season, 

 nor has it been found in any considerable quantity, and only here and 

 there have they attacked our young trees. Where they have been 

 found every leaf has been devoured. I send you a few specimen 

 branches which they attacked, and every vestige of leaf eaten. Our 

 fruit-foreman thinks that the grubs are hatched in the autumn, for 

 young caterpillars were found on the bark very early in the spring. 

 We have not applied any remedy for getting rid of them, but simply 

 hand-picked them where found." — (J. C.) 



The shoots sent were as described, absolutely cleared of leaves, 

 excepting that in a few instances some small remains of young leafage, 

 in very miserable condition, were still existing, these being almost 

 entirely at the ends of the twigs. For the most part, all had been 

 thoroughly cleared down to a mere stump of even the leaf-stalk. The 

 Apple shoots sent me were from about twelve to seventeen inches 

 long, and of various ages up to young boughs of from three-eighths to 

 half an inch in diameter. 



Later on, on the 20th of July, Mr. Cranston further informed me 

 that up to that date they had only discovered two of the moths, which 

 bad been observed about the end of June. 



b2 



