THE BUD MOTH 19 



SUMMARY 



The bud moth, Spilonota ocellana, which is presumably a European 

 insect, was first noted in this country about 1841, and has become an 

 important apple pest. It is now present over much of the northern 

 part of the United States and southern Canada. 



This species is a rather general feeder, attacking most of the de- 

 ciduous fruit trees and some ornamental, shade, and forest trees. 



At least five other species (the lesser bud moth, Recurvaria nanella, 

 the oblique-banded leaf-roller, Cacoecia rosaceana, the green bud- 

 worm, Olethreutes consanguinana, Olethreutes chionosema, and the 

 leaf-crumpler, Mineola indigenella) winter in a similar manner, and 

 are likely at one time or another to be confused with the bud moth. 



The tiny brown larva? emerge from hibernation for the most part 

 as the leaves are unfolding, and feed in the expanding foliage and 

 blossom buds. After a few days of feeding, they make nests, usually 

 in a leaf, which later becomes dead and brown, and feed principally 

 outside the nests. After several molts the larvae cease feeding and 

 construct cocoons, sometimes in the old nest, and in other cases in 

 a new place, where they transform to brown pupse. After a period 

 lasting from 12 to 21 days they emerge as moths, which after a few 

 days deposit their tiny, flattened, oval, translucent white eggs on 

 the foliage. After 7 to 10 days these eggs hatch. The tiny larvae 

 are at first white, but in a few days become a dirty yellow, and later 

 brown. The greater number of these larvae feed on the foliage, 

 usually on the under side of the leaf next the midrib or a large vein, 

 constructing tubular shelters and feeding under the protection of 

 a rooflike silken web. Other larvae feed on the fruit, usually where 

 it is in contact with a leaf, making small blemishes. After feeding 

 for several weeks and molting two or three times, the tiny worms 

 leave the foliage and construct winter shelters in crevices in the bark, 

 under bud scales, and in other more or less concealed places. During 

 the construction of the hibernaculum the larva molts. 



Numerous parasites have been reared from the bud moth, both in 

 North America and in Europe, 



A satisfactory degree of control is usually obtained by two of the 

 usual routine spring spray applications — the pink cluster-bud appli- 

 cation (to which arsenate of lead, 1 pound of the dry form in 50 

 gallons of water, should be added), and the calyx spray, which is 

 applied primarily for codling moth control. In exceptionally severe 

 infestations, an arsenical should also be applied about midway be- 

 tween the bursting of the buds and the time when the blossom buds 

 will show pink. An arsenical application in August will seldom be 

 necessary, but if one is carefully applied, and the under surfaces of 

 the leaves are covered with poison, additional protection will be 

 secured. 



LITERATURE CITED 



(1) Denis, Michael, and Ignaz Schiffermuller. 



1776. Systematisches Verzeichniss der Sclimetterlinge der Wiener 

 Gegend. 322 p., pi. Wien. 



(2) Curtis, John. 



1835. British entomology, v. 12, art. no. 551. 



(3) Harris, Thaddeus William. 



1841. A report on the insects of Massachusetts injurious to vegeta- 

 tion. 459 p. 



