63 



4th. THE EYE-SPOTTED BUD MOTH (GrapJwlitha oculana). 



Lepidoptbra, Tortricid,®. 



This moth is a member of the same family as the one last described. The chief pecularity 

 of the larva consists in its selecting the opening bud for its attack. The 

 caterpillar is a small cylindrical naked worm, about three quarters of 

 an inch in length, of a pale, dull, brownish color, with small warts 

 from which arise fine short hairs ; the head and the top of the next 

 segment being black. Its modus operandi is thus described by W. 

 Saunders, who found it depredating his plum orchard : — " Its tenement 

 consists of a dried-up blackened leaf, portions of which are drawn 

 together so as to make a rude case, the centre part of which, where his highness resides, 

 is lined with silk. It is very fond of going just where you do not want it. It is partial 

 to the blcssoms and newly formed fruit. If you have a new pear or plum fruiting with 

 a single bunch of blossoms on it, which you are anxiously watching, by-and-bye you find 

 that several of the blossoms have set, and while you are nattering yourself that they are 

 doing well, along comes the mischief-maker, pitches his tent alongside this very spot, and 

 drawing the young fruit together with silken threads, holds high carnival among them 

 and frustrates your hopes. Another of its tricks is to gnaw a hole into the top of the 

 branch from which your bunch of blossoms issues, and tunnelling it down, causes the 

 whole thing to wither and die. Often it contents itself with damaging the leaves only, 

 and this one does not mind so much, drawing one after another around its small inside 

 case until it forms quite a little bed of withered and blackened leaves. The moth, which 

 expands about half an inch, is of dark ash-grey color. The fore wings having a paler 

 whitish-grey band across the middle ; there are two small eye-like spots on each of them, 

 one near the tip being composed of four little black marks placed close together in a row, 

 on a light brown ground, the inner marks being longer than the others ; the second eye- 

 spot is near the inner hind angle, and is formed by three minute black spots arranged in 

 a triangle, in the middle of which there is sometimes a black dot. The hind wings are 

 dusky-brown." Mr. Packard describes it as having been generally injurious in Essex 

 County, Mass., in 1869, especially on the apple, cherry and pear; and during the past 

 two seasons it has committed havoc among the plum trees in this (London) district. 



Similar remedies to those described in the last-mentioned insect should be applied, 

 hand-picking being the most preferable. 



The codling moth, and various other kinds of insects may be found occasionally to 

 affect the plum ; it is, therefore, indispensable that fruit-growers, to be successful, should 

 keep a watchful eye over all their trees, and endeavor, by patience and perseverance, to 

 maintain the upper hand of these destructive foes. " Eternal vigilance " is the price of 

 success in fruit-growing, as in all other undertakings. 



