The Apple-shoot Borer. 



523 



The Apple-shoot Borer. 

 (Lavema atra. Haw.) 



The maggot that so frequently bores into the apple shoots is 

 the larva of a small moth known as the Apple-shoot Borer or 

 Pith Moth {Lavema atra). The damage done by this pest is 

 very severe in some seasons in many parts of Great Britain. 

 The young shoots attacked by the larvae are completely 

 destroyed, and can readily be seen by their dying away during 

 the early part of the summer. The flagging shoots may be 

 noticed as early as the middle of May, but show themselves 

 most prominently during the early part of June. 



Like most bud-larvae and borers, their presence is not detected 

 until the damage is done, so that remedial measures are out of 

 the question. The grubs live through the winter hidden under 

 the rind of an old twig or the base of a bud in a semi-mature 

 condition. In the spring they commence to work again with 

 renewed energy, and tunnel up the twig. The larvae also live 

 in hawthorn berries, and are of a dull reddish hue ; those that 

 are found in the apple shoots are duller in colour, some almost 

 brown ; the head is deep brown, and so are the last two segments, 

 and some specimens, especially if put in spirit for a short time, 

 show two oval deep brown patches about the middle of the body. 

 The whole body is more or less hairy and has the normal number 

 of legs, namely, six jointed ones and four pairs of median 

 pro-legs. In length the mature larva reaches about one-third of 

 an inch. 



The caterpillar reaches its full fed stage from the second week 

 to the end of June. Pupation takes place inside the dead or 

 dying shoot. The moth emerges in the latter part of June and 

 in July. The moth is six lines (i.e., half an inch) across the 

 expanded wings ; the fore wings are black, the inner margin is 

 white to beyond the middle, the white passing on as an irregular 

 streak towards the tip, two branches from which intersect the 

 black apical portion of the wing ; the hind wings are grey, with 

 pale fringes, and the head more or less white. Some specimens 

 have the front wings almost entirely black. The adults may be 

 found flying about in the hedgerows, in gardens and orchards. 

 It is apparently only single brooded. 



