APPLE CHERMES. 
7 
The first observation of this insect was sent me on the 10th March, 
by Mr. W. F. Gibbon, of Seaford Grange, Pershore, in which he 
mentioned the insect as one which, although “ almost unrecognised and 
certainly little mentioned,” was the cause of great destruction to the 
Apple crop, and further observed:—“The presence of the Psylla on 
the Apple is always indicated by small, opaque, saccharine globules 
(vulgarly named ‘honeydew’) in and about the stalks of unopened 
flower-buds ; and, if such a sprout be plucked apart, the young, flat, 
inert, wingless insect will be found in numbers sucking the juices of 
the stems of the blossoms. The flower buds, being deprived of their 
sap, shrivel up, and no Apples are produced, and the insect, casting its 
skin, appears in a short time in quite a different form,—light green, 
with transparent wings, active in habit, and leaping all about the 
tree.” 
Mr. Gibbon further noted, in comparing the effects of this and 
other Apple tree infestation, that the Psylla attacks the bloom buds, 
and completes its ravages before it can be noticed by the casual 
observer, sapping the stems of the blossoms before becoming expanded. 
Likewise that it harbours itself in the trees most crowded with growth; 
“ consequently keeping the trees open is of importance, admitting, at 
the same time, the free access of birds to prey upon the insects.” 
On May 15th, Mr. Gibbon, after intermediate observations, for¬ 
warded me specimens in more advanced state; and a few days later I 
had the opportunity of myself seeing the protective covering of long 
and confused fine hair-like matter thus described by Sclimidberger :— 
“ The second changing of the skin can sometimes scarcely be seen at 
all, because the larva not only puts out a thicker string with the 
tubercle, but also an immense number of very fine entangled threads 
or small hairs, which it twines upwards over its back, and with them 
entirely covers its body and head.” This covering was extremely 
noticeable, and in course of observations the ball and string mentioned 
at p. 6 was to be seen. 
Later on, in reply to some inquiries as to these excrescences, 
Mr. Hiam wrote me that these excretions were perfectly well known to 
him, and, when looked at closely, had a purplish metallic shade on 
them. This agrees with Schmidberger’s observation, that before com¬ 
plete development there is an appearance accompanying the ball and 
thread of numerous fine curly little hairs of a light blue varying colour , 
with which the abdomen becomes completely surrounded. 
Corresponding in date of appearance with the above observations, 
Mr. J. Hiam, of Astwood Bank, near Redditcli, sent me, on April 11th, 
information of damage to his Apple blossom from an insect which 
Mr. Gibbon, of Pershore, named as the Psylla then under observation; 
and of this Mr. Hiam remarked :—“ I hardly know which is the worst 
