APPLE INSECTS OF MAINE. I3I 



prefers the apple, but is known to feed upon the plum, cherry, 

 rose, thorn, and pear, — plants belonging to the rose family. 



Description. 



Eggs. — The eggs, so far as we know, have not been described. 



Larva. — When full grown, the larvae are often an inch and a quarter 

 long. They may be known by the coral-red head and a hump of the same 

 color on the fourth ring or segment from the head. The body is striped 

 lengthwise with narrow yellow, white and black lines. There are two 

 rows of black spines along the back, and rows of shorter black spines 

 on the sides. Each spine bears a fine hair. The spines on the coral red 

 hump are more prominent than the others. The hinder end of the cater- 

 pillar tapers and is usually elevated when the insect is at rest. When 

 handled, a fluid with a strong acid smell is emitted. This is so offensive 

 that the insects are never eaten by birds. 



Perfect Insect. — A moth which measures from an inch to an inch and 

 a quarter across the wings. The fore wings are dark brown on the 

 inner, and grayish on the outer margin. There are several longitudinal 

 streaks along the margin, also a dot near the middle and a spot near the 

 angle, all dark brown. The body is light brown, and the thorax of a 

 darker shade. 



Life History. 

 The moths are on the wing late in June or in July. The 

 female deposits her eggs on the under side of a leaf, in a cluster, 

 usually during July. They soon hatch into small caterpillars. 

 These caterpillars, while young, feed upon the tender tissues of 

 the under side of the leaf, leaving the upper surface unbroken, 

 but when large they devour greedily the whole leaf, excepting 

 the midrib. They reach maturity during August and Septem- 

 ber. There is but one brood in the northern states. In the 

 broods further south, the caterpillars feed in bunches and when 

 not feeding remain close together. When mature the}^ descend 

 to the ground and hide under leaves or rubbish, or sometimes 

 burrow a little into the ground and slowly change to the chrysalis 

 state, where they remain until the following spring, when the 

 moths appear, completing the life history. 



Remedies. 



As these caterpillars go in flocks, and when not feeding remain 

 close together, they may easily be destroyed by cutting oflf the 

 branch on which they appear and burning it. They may also be 

 destroyed by jarring the limb, and, when they fall to the ground, 



