I.lO 



FARM FRIENDS AND FARM FOES 



pupae, and change again later into adult sawflies. The 

 sawfly larvae have three pairs of true legs and six to eight 

 pairs of prolegs. Most of them have the abdomen curved 

 inward in the curious way shown in the 

 picture of the Willow Sawfly larva. 



The Common Currant Worm is one of 

 the most familiar of the sawflies, and its 

 life history fairly illustrates that of many 

 related species. The small whitish glassy 

 eggs are deposited in spring upon the 

 principal veins of the under side of the 

 lower leaves of currants and gooseberries. 

 In about ten days these eggs hatch into 

 small whitish grubs or larvae that eat cir- 

 cular holes in the leaves. After a few 

 days they cast their skins or molt — a 

 process that is repeated several times dur- 

 ing the next six weeks. In color they 

 change from whitish to plain green, but 

 soon become dotted with black, a color condition that con- 

 tinues until the last molt, when they change to light green 

 with a little yellow on some parts of the body. As they 

 grow older the injury to the leaves increases, and in severe 

 attacks the bushes are completely defoliated. 



When fully grown in the larval stage, the Currant Worms 

 descend to the ground, seeking shelter beneath the leaves 

 and rubbish. There they spin tough, brown, silken cocoons 

 within which they change to pupae. A short time later 

 they again change to four-winged flies. These come forth 

 early in summer and deposit eggs for a second brood of 

 larvae, most of which pass the following winter within their 



Willow Sawfly 

 Larva 



cocoons. 



The eggs of the Currant Worm, small as they are, are 



