MONTANA EXPERIMENT STATION. 201 



THE BUD nOTH. 



Tmetocera ocellana Schrif. 



The biul moth was first discovered in this country in 1841 ii> 

 IMassachusetts and was at that time doing considerable damage. In 

 1869 it was pronounced the most injurious enemy of the apple 

 tree, next to the canker-worm, in the state of Massachusetts. 

 Since that time it has been spreading westward and has at times 

 been very destructive, notably in 1891 throughout Massachusetts, 

 New York and Canada and again in Michigan in 1892. It now 

 occurs throughout Northern United States from the Atlantic to the 

 Pacific ocean but is much more thoroughly distributed in the east 

 than in the west. It has been found as far south as Washington, 

 D. C. 



For fully fifty years previous to the time the insect was first de- 

 tected in Alassachusetts it was a well known and destructive species 

 in Europe. There can be little doubt that it was introduced into 

 America from Europe on young trees, intended for planting. 



OCCURRENCE IN MONTANA. 



While engaged in certain investigations concerning the codling 

 moth in ^Missoula in the spring of 1902 the writer's attention was 

 called to trees in the home orchards on Front street, Missoula, the 

 foliage of which showed distinct signs of injury by insects. On 

 examination it was found that the injury was caused by the bud 

 moth. The vernal form of the larva was doing rather serious 

 damage on many trees. The buds, both leaf and flower, were severe- 

 ly injured and a large proportion of the expanding clusters of leaves 

 were tied together, each containing one of more nearly full-grown 

 larvae which were feeding voraciously. Beside occurring through- 

 out Missoula and in the orchards just outside of the city, the insect 

 is also gaining a foothold for a considerable distance up the valley 

 of the Bitter Root river. 



IMPORTANCE OF THE PEST. 

 To jast what extent this insect will be destructive in Montana's 

 climate, if it becomes generally distributed, cannot be foretold. Ex- 



