396 



The Larch Shoot Moth. 



[OCT., 



very troublesome to combat. It belongs to the family Tineidce 

 and the genus Argyresthia. Of this genus there are more than 

 twenty recorded species in Britain. Generally it may be said 

 that Argyresthia caterpillars feed in buds, shoots, or fruits. 

 Amongst trees one or other species of Argyresthia has been 

 found infesting birch, alder, hazel, oak, beech, goat willow, 

 horse chestnut, apple, cherry, sloe, juniper, and now to these 

 in Britain we must add the species on larch. 



A. laevigatella must be considered a very harmful enemy, 

 both because it attacks young larches and because a single 

 caterpillar is able to accomplish the destruction of a whole 

 year's shoot. 



Description of Insect. 

 Moth. — The moth is very small, measuring only 4 to 5 milli- 

 metres (less than one-fifth of an inch) in length and 10 to 12 

 millimetres in spread of wings. The fore wings are silver- 

 grey and silky, with a gloss like lead ; the fore-edges are 



fig. I. — The Larch Shoot Moth {Argyresthia laevigatella). 



somewhat darker ; the fringes of these forewings are grey or 

 brownish grey. 



The hind wings are dark grey, and not so glossy. The face 

 is white ; the base of the antennae is white and the rest of the 

 antennas dark and light-ringed. There is a tuft of hairs on 

 the head ; the colour of the hairs is given differently by 

 different Continental authorities, in my own specimens the 

 colour is yellow. The abdomen of the moth is dark grey. 



Caterpillar. — The larva is pale yellow when young, but later 

 is pale grey, with a dash of red, and is dark striped towards 

 the hind end of the back. The head and the three front pairs 

 of legs are black. The length is 6 to 7 millimetres. 



Pupa. — The pupa is dark brown, with a black head ; its 

 hind end is distinctly pointed. 



Distribution. — The moth is native to Eastern Germany, 

 the Alps, and Holland. 



