HABITS OF THE MOTH. 



11 



a, witli winffs expanded ; b, with ■wings 



flowers were abundant. But fruits of all kinds as they ripen are re- 

 sorted to, and figs, apples, iDeaches, plums, apricots, grapes, persimmons, 

 and even melons, are often greatly injured. 



Carefully examined,tbe 

 tongue is seen to be armed 

 along its terminal half 

 with stout and sharp 

 spines proojecting for- 

 ward from the upi^er sur- ^ .^^^ 

 face and increasing in 

 density toward the tip, piQ. 7._cotton moth ; 

 which is beset with them ^^«^^^' (After Mef.) 

 on all sides. It is by means of this spinous tip of the tongue that the 

 moth works a hole in these fruits, and is thus enabled to absorb the 

 more liquid portions. Apple pomace is especially attractive to them. 



We have, in fact, been quite astonished at the perforating power of 

 the proboscis as exemplified in the puncturing of hard, unripe pears. 

 We have known such to be 

 punctured quite deeply, the 

 effect of the puncture being to 

 soften and discolor the fruit 

 for some distance around. 

 The accompanying illustra- 

 tion (Fig. 8), which gives an 

 enlarged view of the partly ^ ^ 



coiled proboscis and a still fig. S— proboscis of Aletia: a, the coiled proboscis, 

 ^^^.^ I,,* ^,1.1.^ ,^^^,^:«^^l -r^^ ^-rv^ i^^giiifled nhout 10 diameters; &, tip of do., more highly 

 more highly magnified view ma|nified. (Th. Pergande, del.) 



of its tip, will explain more clearly than words its adaptation to such 

 puncturing. The stiff and sharp spines are, in fact, admirably suited 

 for rasping and lacerating the pulp and thus setting free its juice. This 

 puncturing habit is possessed by several other moths, and notably by 

 an Australian species {Opliideres fullonica)^ which is very injurious to 

 oranges, and the structure of the proboscis of which has been well illus- 

 trated by Mr. Kiinckel.* A number of our own North American species 

 of ]!^octuid8e likewise have the tip of the proboscis more or less spinose, 

 indicating that they also possess the power of extracting juices from 

 other sources than the nectaries of fiowers. 



TIME ELAPSING- FROM ONE FENERATION TO ANOTHER. 



This varies according to temperature, and therefore according to 

 season. There is increasing activity and acceleration in development 

 from the first appearance till July, and thenceforth decreasing activity 

 and retardation in development till frost. Thus in midsummer the 

 whole cycle of individual life, from the hatching to procreation, may 

 occupy less than three weeks ; while in spring and late autumn it may 



* Comptes Eendus (French Academy), August 30, 1875. 



