8 BULLETIN" 1213, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



spiracles. Dorsal abdominal segments 2 to 7 each with two transverse rows 

 of short bristles pointing backwards, one row near each margin of the seg- 

 ment, that on the anterior margin frequently overlapped and concealed by the 

 segment anterior to it. Spines in the posterior row of each segment much 

 smaller than those in the anterior row. Dorsal segments 8 to 10 each with a 

 single row of spines; those on segment 9 somewhat stouter, and those on 

 segment 10 very much stouter than those on other segments. Cremaster 

 absent ; anal segment with 8 bristles, curved outward at their tips, arranged 

 somewhat in a circle, four singly and two pairs. Abdomen minutely pitted. 

 Spiracles somewhat raised and rounded. 

 Male. — Same as female, but a little smaller. 



MOTH 



PI. II, F 



Fernald (15) describes the motli as follows : 



The fore wings expand about three-fifths of an inch. The head, thorax and 

 basal. third of the fore wings, and also the outer edge and fringe are dark ash 

 gray, the middle of the fore wings is cream white, marked more or less with 

 costal streaks of gray, and in some specimens this part is ashy gray, but little 

 lighter than the base. Just before the anal angle are two short horizontal 

 black dashes followed by a vertical streak of lead blue, and there are three or 

 four similar black dashes before the apex, also followed by a streak of lead blue. 



The hind wings above and below and the abdomen are ashy gray. The under 

 side of the fore wings is darker, and has a series of light costal streaks on the 

 outer part. 



SEASONAL HISTORY AND HABITS 



The bud moth has one generation every 12 months, commencing 

 with the egg stage in midsummer and ending with the deposition of 

 eggs for the succeeding generation during midsummer of the follow- 

 ing calendar year. 



It passes the winter as a partially grown larva in a tiny silken 

 nest, or hibernaculum (PI. II, A), placed in any convenient crevice, 

 or other place. Du Porte (19) found that in Quebec hibernation 

 occurred in the third, fourth, and fifth stages. Under Connecticut 

 conditions practically all larvae enter hibernation at the end of the 

 third stage and molt during the construction of the hibernaculum, 

 although occasionally a few individuals pass the winter in the fol- 

 lowing stage. 



Emergence from hibernation occurs early in the spring, sometimes 

 as the buds are just beginning to show green, but more often a little 

 later, as the buds are unfolding. In Connecticut the lesser bud 

 moth, Recurvaria nanella, which at this point in its life history 

 follows closely that of the bud moth, has a tendency to emerge 

 earlier, and frequently enters the buds before they have expanded 

 to any extent. While the bud moth occasionally emerges equally 

 early, it is more likely to wait until the leaves are just beginning 

 to unfold before leaving winter quarters. Once in a while a larva 

 after emergence and a short period of feeding in an unfolding bud 

 will return to its hibernaculum, usually because of unfavorable 

 weather, leaving behind a trail of silk. 



In 1920 and 1921, the emergence of the larvae from hibernation 

 was carefully observed. Infested material was brought in and short 

 lengths of twigs which bore hibernacula were placed in cages. 

 These were kept in the insectary under out-of-door conditions except 



