U. S. D. A., B. E. Bull. 80, Part II. D. F. I. L, June 30, 1909. 



PAPERS ON DECIDUOUS FRUIT INSECTS AND INSECTICIDES. 



THE CIGAR CASE-BEARER. 



{Coleophora fletcherella Fernald.) 



By A. G. Hammar, 

 Engaged in Deciduous Fruit Insect Investigations. 



INTRODUCTION. 



During the past several years the cigar case-bearer (Coleophora 

 ■fletcherella Fernald) has occasionally come to notice on account of the 

 injuries inflicted by it on the foliage and fruit of apple and pear 

 trees, especially the former. 



Although apparently common in different sections of the country 

 its presence is readily overlooked, owing to its small size and the 

 concealed life of the larva. When occurring in large numbers it first 

 attracts attention during May and June, at which time the insect is 

 most active and feeding freely upon the foliage. The larva itself is 

 in a small cylindrical or cigar-shaped case, which is composed of a 

 portion of the skin of the leaf. 



In its feeding habits the larva is, to a certain extent, a miner. It 

 always carries its case for protection, however, protruding from it 

 when feeding. Upon close observation of the feeding marks on the 

 foliage it will be found that they consist of a more or less round 

 undermined area, from which the parenchyma has been removed, with 

 a minute circular hole through the skin of the leaf, through which 

 the larva made its entrance. By these markings on the leaves and by 

 the cigar-shaped cases (fig. 9) of the larva the insect is readily dis- 

 tinguished from other related orchard pests. The cigar case-bearer 

 has occasionally proved itself capable of destroying the foliage of 

 entire orchards. Crop failures and various deformities of the fruit 

 have also been ascribed to this insect. 



HISTORY. 



The attention of entomologists was first called to the destructive- 

 ness of the cigar case-bearer in 1888, when Mr. P. Barry, of Kochester, 

 N. Y., found the larvae feeding upon the young fruit of pears. Speci- 



