238 Insects most injurious to Cultivators. 



obscure, darker, transverse streaks, united into a broad ish fascia 

 towards the base ; on the anal angle is a large blind subocel- 

 lated spot, of which the margins are of a coppery or reddish 

 golden colour: posterior wings black, darkest at the apex. 

 — Stephens^ loc. cit., p. 1 19. ; by whom it is stated that it is not 

 very abundant, but is found in gardens within the metropolitan 

 district occasionally, in some plenty. About three years previously 

 he found several in his garden ; and in 1834 it was again in 

 plenty. 



I was not fortunate enough to observe the deposition of the 

 eggs by the female moth ; and, anxious to ascertain the manner 

 in which the larva commenced its attacks upon the fruit, and 

 thereby of gaining an idea of the situation in which the eggs 

 are placed, I opened a number of young apples at the beginning 

 of August, and found the larvae in a young state, in the upper 

 part of the fruit, at a small distance from the eye {^g- 34. g), its 

 presence being indicated by the dried powder in the centre of 

 the eye, the head of the larva being turned towards the heart of 

 the fruit. Rusticus, however, states that the moth may be 

 observed, about the middle of June, hovering around the young 

 apples, which by that time are fit for the reception of its eggs, 

 which it lays in the eyes, one only in each, by introducing its 

 long ovipositor between the leaves of the calyx, which form a 

 tent above it that effectually shields it from the inclemency of 

 the weather, or any other casualty. As soon as the egg is 

 hatched, the little grub gnaws a hole in the crown of the apple, 

 and soon buries itself in its substance; and it is worthy of 

 remark, that the rind of the apple, as if to afford every facility 

 to the destroyer, is thinner here than in any other part, and 

 consequently more easily pierced. The apple most commonly 

 attacked is the codling, which ripens in July and August. 



It will be evident, from the preceding detail of the habits of 

 this moth, that there are considerable difficulties in the way of 

 its extirpation. It is impossible, for instance, to be aware of the 

 presence of the enemy within the fruit, until the mischief is 

 actually completed ; and, in like manner, the destruction of the 

 moth, from its small size, and its habit of secreting itself 

 in crevices of the bark, &c., is equally impracticable. The 

 gathering up of the wormeaten apples immediately after their 

 fall, and before the enclosed caterpillar has had time to make 

 its escape, cannot but be attended with good effect : care, how- 

 ever, must be taken, either by bruising the apples, or some 

 other similar proceeding, to destroy the larvae, which would 

 otherwise very speedily make their escape, and so frustrate the 

 pains taken for their destruction. It has also been suggested, 

 that, by burning weeds in the garden or orchard at the time of 

 the year when the insect is ready to deposit its eggs, the moth 



