86 FIELD KOTES OJf APPLE CULTURE. 



CHAP TEE XXI. 

 THE CODLIN MOTH. 



The pretty little moth {Carpocapsa pomonella), repre- 

 sented at natural size in figure 19, is the parent of the 

 apple worm. It is a European insect, 

 introduced into this country in the early 

 part of this century. Very few apple 

 growers are acquainted with the moth. Fig. 19.-cod- 

 as it flies at night. The outer wings are ^'^ ^^'^^• 

 marked with irregular and ill-defined transverse streaks 

 of gray and brown, and on the end they bear a brown, 

 bronze-streaked spot. The inner wings and abdomen 

 are light yellowish brown. The moth flies with its 

 body in a nearly perpendicular position. There are 

 many moths or *' millers," which, to the unpracticed 

 eye, closely resemble this, and which are confounded 

 with it. Hence arise the erroneous statements that 

 the codlin moths are attracted by lights, and that they 

 have been captured in great quantities in preparations of 

 sweetened water, etc. 



The moth makes its appearance about the time that 

 the apple blossoms appear. A moth lays about fifty eggs, 

 according to Mr. Saunders. A single egg is laid in the 

 *' blossom end " of the young apple, and in about a week 

 it hatches, and the young larva eats its way into the 

 apple. In three or four weeks the larva is full grown, and 

 it leaves the apple to find a hiding place under the rough 

 bark, where it may spin its cocoon and make the wonder- 

 ful transformation into a moth. The second moth of 



