BULLETIN OF THE 



No. 88 



Contribution from the Bureau of Entomology, L. 0. Howard, Chief. 



April 30, 1914. 



THE CONTROL OF THE CODLING MOTH IN THE 

 PECOS VALLEY IN NEW MEXICO. 



By A. L. Quaintance, in Charge of Deciduous Fruit Insect Investigations. 

 INTRODUCTION. 



For some years complaints have been received by the Bureau of 

 Entomology from the fruit growers in the Pecos Valley, N. Mex., of 

 the severe injury to apples and pears by the codling moth (Carpocapsa 

 pomonella L.). The methods employed in the control of this insect 

 in other apple-growing regions have, in the Pecos Valley, been 

 stated to be there much less efficient, so that a considerable portion 

 of the crop of fruit has been wormy and unsalable. 



The codling moth should yield as readily to treatment in the Pecos 

 Valley as elsewhere, though, owing to favorable climatic conditions, 

 it was surmised that it might develop an additional generation. It 

 was not believed, however, that the behavior of the insect in that 

 region was essentially different from its behavior in other sections, 

 and the lack of satisfactory results from spraying operations, it was 

 thought, probably resulted from failure to accomplish this work in a 

 thorough and timely manner. 



Beginning in the spring of 1912 an investigation of the codling 

 moth was undertaken by the Bureau of Entomology, with head- 

 quarters at Koswell, N. Mex., and Mr. A. G. Hammar, who had had 

 much experience with this insect at other field stations of the bureau, 

 was assigned to the work. During that year he was assisted by Mr. 

 Earl R. Van Leeuwen, and during 1913 by Mr. L. L. Scott and Mr. 

 E. W. Geyer. Owing to the unfortunate death of Mr. Hammar there 

 devolves upon the writer the necessity of preparing for publication, 

 for the benefit of the Pecos Valley fruit growers, the results of Mr. 

 Hammar's experiments. The investigations carried out by Mr. 

 Hammar comprise a thorough inquiry into the fife history and habits 

 of the codling moth in that region, and experiments with sprays in 

 orchards. The results of the life-history studies will be given in. 

 another paper. 



Note. — This bulletin describes the codling moth as it affects fruit growing in the Pecos Valley, N. Mex. 

 It is of interest to fruit growers in the Southwest. 



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