146 



Insect Pests. 



The effect of weather on tliis Schizoiieura is iiih It \\iV\ he 

 just as bad in a wet, euld, as in a wanii, diy season. It has Ijeen 

 found in this country reproducing on some old trees two days after 

 hard fmst and snow, with the temperature down to 17'' F. The 

 i]uantity of mooI. the haliit of secreting itself in any crevice of hark, 

 or amongst lichens and moss, all tend to protect it. 



ISesides apples, it Udw and again "will attack pears, but such is 

 certainly very unusual in this country. Xotes have lieen sent a few 

 times of its presence on perry pears, but I have i'ailed to find it 

 myself on that fruit, nor have I yet found it 

 on the wild crabs, liut it is found on the latter. 

 In very severe attacks in bad years it may 

 not unly lie found on the trunk, t^vigs and 

 roots, l.iut also on the lea\-es, and on sex'eral 

 occasiims it lias been detected on fruit, where 

 it lias produced discoloratiun. 



LIFE-HIsTO];^■ and H.^lIHTS. 



The ■' mother-cpreen " aphis is oval in 

 form, of variiius shades nf purplish-brown; 

 antenna.' and legs dark reddish-brown ; sume 

 varieties are rich plum coloured ; all secrete a 

 quantity of white meal from the dorsal glands. 

 These " mother-ipieens " may be found all the 

 year. Usuall)' they seek sheltei- in cre^'ices 

 in the trunk, or in and around the edges of 

 distorted growths during the winter, as well as 

 below ground on the trunk and on the roots. 

 This female reproduces ^iviparously, and the 

 young (lice) crawl about at first in the wool. 

 and are yello\'sisli in colour. Later these 

 larva- or lice may crawl farther from the 



parent, but as a rule they remain in close coin])anv for some tinje. 



forming a small colony. After moulting they assume the dull 



]iurplisli-brown to plum-coloured hue of the parent. 



It is these vivi[iarously produced young which secrete the larm- 



([uantities of wool, which may hang down in great festoons fi'oni the 



hranches. 



These larvte soon commence to produce young like their parents, 



and this method of reproduction may gi.i on all the .-■ummi^r. ^'^'r^• 



irregulaily ;ind very rnrely pupa_' or nymphs arise from the lice 



(luring the summer, whiidi gi\e rise to winged \-iviji;irous females. 



YuC.NG ^\(iiM> AT'IWCKK]' in" 



\vri(>Li,Y .o'lirs. 



