THE APPLE. 



443 



spurs. They are in general arranged in regular 

 order, in rows lying close together. When laid 

 on the shoots of the previous year, they are 

 placed singly, or in heaps, without order, and in 

 both cases are so firmly glued to the bark as to 

 be with difficulty rubbed off. They are provided 

 with a covering, which protects them greatly 

 from the attacks of other insects. The eggs are 

 hatched about the beginning of April,' and in 

 four weeks' time the insect has arrived at its 

 perfect state. It is fortunate that this insect is 

 not very destructive, nor does it every year 

 appear in the same numbers ; for, on account of 

 its small size, it is difficult to capture in any of 

 its stages of existence. It is more injurious to 

 the blossom than to the foliage. 



The figure of 8 moth, fig. 190 (Episema cczru- 

 leocephala, Bombyx cceruleocephala Linneeus, 



Fig. 190. 



FIGURE OF EIGHT MOTH. 



Male and larva. 



Noctua cceruleocephala of others), was deno- 

 minated by Linnaeus the pest of Pomona, 

 and the destroyer of the blossoms of the 

 apple, pear, and cherry. The moth in its 

 perfect state exceeds 1 inch in length between 

 the tips of its extended wings. The fore wings 

 are bluish grey, with evanescent cloudy spots, 

 having a lighter-coloured spot in their centre, 

 on which there is a peculiar mark, somewhat 

 resembling the figure 8. The under wings are 

 of an ashy-greyish colour, with a dull spot on 

 their middle. The antennae of the male are 

 pectinated, those of the female filiform, and in 

 both are of a rusty-brown colour. The thorax 

 is of the same colour as the fore wings ; the 

 abdomen, with the extremity of the body, is 

 similar in colour to the hind wings. Pairing 

 takes place either in autumn or in the following 

 spring, immediately after which the female lays 

 her eggs singly on the trees. The caterpillars have 

 thick fleshy bodies, and are much sought after 

 by birds, which seem to luxuriate upon them. 

 They are exceedingly voi\acious,andspeedily strip 

 a tree of its foliage. They attain their full size in 



Juno, at which time they are nearly 2 inches in 

 length, and yearly fths of an inch in thickness, of 

 a yellowish-green colour, with three pale-yellow 

 stripes running longitudinally, the centre one 

 being somewhat broader than the others. The 

 head is small, of a bluish colour, having two 

 black circular spots upon it ; on the body are 

 many black tubercles, each bearing a single hair. 

 Previous to entering the pupa state, they repair 

 to the stems of trees, where they construct a 

 nest of moss, small chips of wood-dust, &c, in 

 which they abide for three weeks before the 

 pupa transformation takes place. The pupa is 

 small, dull, reddish brown, and cylindrical in 

 form. In this state it usually remains three 

 months, more or less. The moth appears in 

 October and November, and sometimes not 

 till April or May. Were it not for the assis- 

 tance rendered by birds, ichneumon flies, and 

 other insects, this pest would be more serious 

 in its effects. In their caterpillar state they are 

 difficult to detect, the colour resembling so 

 much that of the trees they live upon, and also 

 because they ensconce themselves behind the 

 leaves when apprehensive of danger. Shaking 

 the trees or the larger branches dislodges many, 

 which may be received on a canvass cloth spread 

 under them. We have known them dislodged 

 when a gun has been discharged amongst the 

 branches, and also when a powerful water-engine 

 has been made to play with force upon the 

 tree. 



Tinea corticella attacks the apple tree under 

 the bark. 



Curculio vastator Marsham, Otiorhynchm pici- 

 pes (see fig. 17), a short-snouted weevil, is very 

 injurious to the blossom of the apple, appearing 

 in March and April. 



The apple-tree mussel scale {Aspldlotus con- 



Fig. 191. 



APPLE-TREE MUSSEL SCALE. 



chiformis), fig. 191, attacks both the trunks and 

 branches of apple and pear trees ; and though 

 so exceedingly small, and of the same colour as 

 the bark it is attached to, it is nevertheless very 



