38 Insect Pests. 



Prevention and Treatment. 



As this moth comes to light it may possibly be prevented from 

 causing any annoyance by using light-traps, such as Vermorel's 

 " Medusa Lamp " {vide App. D). Mr. Wise reported to Miss Ormerod 

 that in November they were catching this moth by means of lamps 

 in the Toddington plantations. The arrangement employed there 

 was simply placing a lighted lamp in an open shed, which had the 

 underneath parts of the roof tarred or greased. The Medusa lamp 

 mentioned, however, is far more convenient and will attract many 

 night-flying moths and so prevent egg-laying. 



When numerous enough to need treatment, the arsenate of lead 

 wash is all that is neceessary. 



Bbfbhences. 



{!) Morris, F. 0. 'A Natural History of British Moths,' vol. II., p. 62 (1872). 

 <2) Stainton, E. T. ' Manual of British Butterflies and Moths,' vol. I., p. 125 



(1857). 

 (3) Ormerod, E. A. ' Handbook of Insects Injurious to Orchard and Bush 



Fruits,' p. 16 (1898). 

 {4) Buckler, W. 'Larvae of British Butterflies and Moths,' vol. III., p. 1 



(1888). 

 (5) Tasclienherg, L. ' Praktisohe Insekten-kunde,' III,, p. 101 (1880). 



THE VAPOURER MOTH. 



{Orygia anfiqua. Linn.) 



The Vapourer Moth is one of those insects which delights as 

 much in a town life as in a country one. It is no unusual thino- to 

 see the male of this moth flying in the crowded thoroughfares of 

 London and the suburbs and in other large towns. 



They sometimes appear in large numbers and cause much damage, 

 in their beautiful caterpillar stage, to fruit and forest trees and even 

 roses. 



Amongst the favourite food plants may be mentioned the apple, 

 pear, plum, damson, roses, hawthorn, sloe, and even the fir. 

 Buckler (5) records the Acacia dealbata also as a food plant. In 

 some years it has been found on elm and lime, and I have found it 

 on the walnut. 



Some seasons it appears in large numbers in the London parks, 

 and records have been sent of the great damage caused by it in the 

 north of England to hawthorn hedges. Carpenter (6) records it on 

 apple from County Leitrim on trees imported from France. 



