166 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



badly attacked trees, and bum the foliage before the moth flies 

 in June. It is best prevented by growing Larch in a suitable 

 mixture, and not in pure woods. Special importance attaches 

 to this and other Larch-feeding insects because the wounds 

 which they make probably serve as a nidus for the spores of 

 Larch-canker. 



The insects which cause destruction to the shoots are chiefly 

 the caterpillars of the genus Betinia and the beetle Myelo- 

 jphilus {Hylesimcs, Ilylurgus) piniiJerda. 



The Betinias are small moths belonging to the group Tor- 

 tricina (Leaf- rollers), of oblong form, reddish brown or grey in 

 colour with somewhat elaborate markings of paler streaks and 

 bands, assimilating in tint to the colour of Pine-bark of different 

 shades, a feature specially characterising Conifer-feeding moths. 



Pine-shoot Moths. 



By far the most important species in Great Britain is Betinia 

 huoliana, though the scarcer B. turionella has got more credit 

 as an injurious species ; it is equally destructive in habits. 



B. huoliana appears at the beginning of July, B. turionella 

 some three weeks earlier. 



Both moths lay their eggs singly on young Pines at the 

 bfbse of the buds of the terminal shoot or lateral branches ; 

 into these the caterpillars bore, hollowing out the centre bud, 

 and then attacking the lateral buds in the same way so as to 

 destroy the whole or part of the terminal whorl. The larvae 

 live in the shoots through the winter, and pupate there in the 

 spring. Their presence is easily recognised by the altered and 

 stunted shoots which have failed to grow, and break off at a 

 touch, as well as by the flow of resin caused by the feeding, 

 especially of B. huoliana. 



The effect on the tree of the loss of the terminal shoot has 

 been already mentioned ; the lateral branches injured by huoliana 

 subsequently grow twisted, and take on a characteristic curved 

 *' post-horn " shape which lasts for many years after the injury. 



These insects suffer, fortunately, from the attacks of many 

 parasitic enemies, for practical treatment has met with little 

 success. The infested shoots have been persistently cut off and 

 burned for many years in succession without real benefit result- 

 ing ; this treatment is only applicable to small isolated areas, 



