Insects Injurion-^ to the Apple. 



105 



head (:'>) states that they " tly and craA\'l " tu the liranchcs. (.'urtis (4) 

 avers that " the females will not readily lly," lait that " the males 

 are seen du sunny murnings tlyin^i' amon;]- the trees in search of the 

 females, who generally are crawling ii\'er the liranches." [Mr. White- 

 head (5) again in his pamphlet states that "the female liy flying or 

 crawling finds its way to tin' blossom faid.s," The males are often 

 taken on the wing, Imt seldom females, although the orcliards are 

 teeming with this fieetle. Tlie adults are extremely tiniiil and hdl 

 at the least vil)ration. Of those fallen upon the ground, very few 

 ■crawl up the trunk so as to regain the brandies. Xnw what becomes 

 of the others unless tliey fly Ijack 

 to the tree or to other trees '. 

 Although the females do not readily 

 take w'ing, yet they undoubtedly 

 do fly from the ground into the 

 branches, especially on warm, 

 sunny days. 1 am sure that the 

 females fly more than we imagine. 

 In any case the recommended 

 grease - banding will not catch 

 them, which it might do if they 

 crawled up the trunks of tlie trees 

 as has been averred by some 

 people, not naturalists. Copula- 

 tion \indoubtedly takes place upon 

 •the branches. The female de[)Osits 

 her ew's in the blossom liuds before 

 thev open. As soon as the blossom 

 conrmences to expand she leaves 

 off ovipositing, as the larva' could 

 not live in an open bhjssom. Thus 



it will be seen that cold, damp weather, in spring, especially 

 nights with frost, keeping ))ack the buds, extends o\-er a greater 

 length of time the egg-laying period of the female. A single ovum 

 is deposited in each blossom, lint several possibly in a lilossom fiud. 



The act of oviposition takes some time, usually at least three- 

 (puirters of an hour, so that a single female cannot lay very many 

 eggs if the blossom buds expand rapidly, as they do in fine, warm 

 weather. Oviposition continues for two weeks, about fifty eggs Ijemg 

 laid. :\lr. Whitehead says 15 to 20 eggs. I have often taken 

 females which by dissection have shown 50 and even GO o\'a in 

 them. If we watch a female we shall see her wandering about upon 



\lh,rn,e Kulijlit. 

 S(t>[ \VEK\II. 



{A„ll„ 



