Insects, etc.. Injurious to the Strcmherry. 447 



by the cold, wliicli only seems to drive them deep into the soil 

 Nearly every kind of plant is attacked by them (1), 



In 1896 damage caused l.y them to strawberries was reported 

 from Canterbury, In I'JOr, they were reported hy Mr. Cliampion 

 as doing much damage t(.. the same phints near Jlaidstone and also 

 again near Cauterb,iry. In 1907 they were said by a correspondent 

 to be ver)' pleutifid in strawberry beds at Warliugliam. They attack 

 this fruit plant, first of all, by eating the rootlets, and later tliey 

 tunnel right up the main roots (Fig. -Am) and even into the crown. 

 By so doing tliey entirely destroy the plants. 



LiFE-TIi.S'rni;Y. 



The adult moth appears about mid May ami continues tlirougli- 

 out June, and may even be fjuml as late as mid July. 



The moth appears on the wing at dusk, especially o^•er grass, 

 clover and herbs, and flies with a curious, pen(hdum-like movement', 

 especially the male. It darts about witli great energ>', lience the 

 name Swift Moth. 



The moth (Fig. 28.S) is very \-ariable in size and colour. The 



FIG. 2110. — L.AUV.E OF G.\R])EN tfWIFT :\[*t'ril. 



(SJiglitJy cnl.-irKert.) 



lengtli is about ;t incli, and the wing expanse from 1 to 1 [ inch. 

 The fore wings are pale fulvous brown, with a jjale almost -svhite 

 streak running from the base to the inner margin, and this is con- 

 tinued from the inner margin to near the a]iex; liind wings pale 

 brown ; alxlomen yellowish-brown. In some tlie wliite on tlie wings 

 is almost absent. 



The ova are dark coh.iured and are drop]:ied by the females 

 during flight upon tlie ground and may hatcli in nine days. The 



