THE 



JANUARY, 1838. 



ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 



Art. I. A Series of Articles on the Insects most injurious to Cultiva- 

 tors. By J. O. Westwood, F.L.S., Secretary to the Entomological 

 Society of London. 



No. 10. The Caterpillar of the Apricot Bud. 



The apricot, like the peach and nectarine, is infested with 

 several distinct species of insects, which injure it in various de- 

 grees, and in different methods. There is a species of scale 

 insect (Coccida) which attaches itself to the young twigs ; an 

 aphis, which is also found in the same situation, and upon the 

 young leaves, which it curls up and distorts ; whilst those 

 plants which are cultivated under glass are subject to the red 

 spider (^'carus telarius), and to a small species of thrips. The 

 two latter are, however, seldom found on out-of-door plants. 

 The fruit attracts the little brown ant (i^ormica fusca), which 

 generally contrives to establish its colonies near the root, or 

 under some stone or brick in the immediate vicinity ; and which 

 is very annoying to the cultivator, by attacking the fruit just as 

 it is coming to a state to repay him for his labour. I have found 

 it the most advisable plan, in order to get rid of these trouble- 

 some little creatures, to watch the time of the appearance of the 

 winged individuals, which takes place at the end of the summer, 

 and generally in a warm still afternoon. At such time, these 

 winged individuals, which have, perhaps, been detained in the 

 nest for several days for want of agreeable weather, sally forth 

 in considerable numbers, and take wing. A great bustle is 

 perceived among the wingless ants, the greatest anxiety appears 

 to prevail ; thus evidently betokening an important event in the 

 community. This event is the pairing of the winged males and 

 females, which takes place in the air ; and hence it is evident 

 that, by previously tracing the wingless individuals to their 

 abode, and afterwards watching for the time of the departure 

 of the winged specimens, the increase of the colony may be pre- 

 vented by the easy destruction of the latter, which are by no 

 means so active as the former. It is, however, still better to 

 Vol. XIV. ~ No. 94. b 



