THE CALIFORNIA PEACH BORER. 



81 



Numerous records of oviposition by moths which were confined in 

 cages indicate that the favorite place is on the lower surface of the 

 leaves (Table VI). 



Table VI. — Oviposition of moths of the California peach borer within the rearing cages. 



Cage No. 



Eggs 



placed on 



wood of 



cage. 



On 

 branches. 



On 



upper 



surface 



of leaves. 



On 



lower 



surfaces. 



Total. 



1 



55 



16 

 66 



14 



49 



272 



144 



48 



119 

 53 



474 

 40 



220 



102 



204 



2 



168 



3 





746 



4 





20 



204 



5 





268 



6. 



55 



66 



,223 







Total 



110 



168 



527 



1,008 



1,813 







Moths flying in the open field always place their eggs on the lower 

 trunk a few inches above the surface of the ground. The eggs are 

 arranged in groups as in the rearing cages. A careful examination of 

 branches and leaves of several trees in a badly infested orchard 

 showed no eggs elsewhere than on the lower trunk, but many groups 

 of eggs were found on individual trees. A moth was once observed to 

 fly and alight on the trunk of an apricot tree about 5 inches from the 

 ground. She soon moved 2 or 3 inches higher and remained there 

 about two minutes, placing about 12 eggs; she then flew rapidly away 

 until she was lost to sight. Thirty other eggs which had been placed 

 at some previous time were also observed near this group. All were 

 within a radius of 2 inches and were grouped in numbers of from 3 to 



10. They were not definitely arranged. Clusters of eggs can be found 

 easily on the lower trunks of trees in any badly infested orchard. 



The eggs on a single five-year-old apricot tree in the open field 

 (Kelly orchard) were numbered and grouped as follows: 2, 3, 3, 6, 8, 

 8, 9, 10, 27, and there were about a dozen scattered, singly-placed 

 eggs. All were between 1 and 2 inches above the surface of the ground. 

 On a second tree 44 eggs, all near the surface, were grouped as fol- 

 lows: 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2, 4, 6, 8, 13. All the eggs on both these trees 

 were hatched when examined (Aug. 10, 1908). 



Records of oviposition by individual moths may be listed as fol- 

 lows: 294, 275, 205 (6 + 199 dissected), and 412. Eight unmated 

 females which were placed in confinement oviposited as follows: 5, 6, 



11, 11, 25, 43, 50, 83, and in each case the moth died before the second 

 day. 



Table VII, which is a record of oviposition by individual moths, 

 indicates how soon oviposition begins after mating, how long it con- 

 tinues, the number of eggs placed, and the life of the moth. All 

 moths were introduced into the individual cages immediatelv after 

 they were taken from the trap cages in the field. 



