576 



NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Rosebud worm 



Oletkreutes nimbatana Clem. 

 Greenish, black-headed caterpillars about ^ inch long, boring in the buds or webbing 

 together leaves of roses, may belong to this species. 



This insect was brought to the attention of the late Dr Lintner in 

 March 1883, on account of its injuries to rose plants in greenhouses at Scars- 

 dale, Westchester co. It is 

 well distributed over the State 

 and probably more or less 

 common, since it is known 

 as an annual rose feeder in 

 Albany. 



Description. The full 

 grown caterpillar is about 

 inch long, a clear apple-green 

 color, with the head and tho- 

 racic shield dark blackish 

 brown and the true legs a dull 

 black. 



The parent insect is a 

 brownish gray moth with the 

 outer portion of the fore wings 

 and the under surface of the 

 hind wings lighter. The inner part of the fore wings is dark brown mot- 

 tled with white, black and light purple spots ; wing spread about 5/s inch. 



Life history The life history of this species has been given by Dr 

 Lintner substantially as follows. The parent insects appear about the 

 middle of April and deposit their eggs at night, presumably on the terminal 

 leaves of rosebushes. The caterpillars soon hatch and at once commence 

 to draw together margins and surfaces of the folded leaf, and as they 

 increase in size the single leaf is deserted and several fastened together or, 

 as observed by Mr Chittenden, they may enter the unopened buds. The 



Fig. 144 Olethreutes nimbatana: a— moth ; <5=iarva ; <r=empty 

 pupal case ; rf=terminal segment of pupa ; rosebud showing larva at 

 work ; _/"=leaves folded by larva ; all twice natural size except o\ which is 

 greatly enlarged. (After Chittenden, U. S. Dep't Agric. Div. Ent. 1901, 

 Bui. 27, n. s.) 



