74 
ORCHARD MOTH CATERPILLARS. 
Winter Moth, Evesham Moth, Cheimatobia brumata , Linn. ; March 
Moth, Anisopteryx ascularia , Schiff. ; Common Vapourer Moth, 
Orgyia antique , Linn.; and other species. 
Winter Moth; Evesham Moth. Cheimatobia brumata, Linn. 
Winter Moth (Cheimatobia brumata): male, and wingless females. 
The date of first attack of Winter Moth caterpillar in the past 
season might he put (so far as reported) as being about the end of 
March. At that time Winter Moth caterpillars were beginning work 
near Ross (Herefordshire), although they were not then noticeable at 
Toddington; and I had opportunity myself of seeing them hatching 
from collections of infested twigs and prunings placed in my hands for 
special observation. 
By means of these specimens I was enabled carefully to study the 
changes of colour of the egg which occur during its advance to maturity, 
and also its form and size, and the external markings of the egg-pellicle ; 
and afterwards, in the course of November, I had the further oppor¬ 
tunity (from newly-laid specimens) of noting the colour when first 
deposited. As these points are all of practical use in determining 
what kind of infestation is present, I give some notes of the observa¬ 
tions which I was enabled to make in detail. 
On the 11th March I received, from Mr. Jesse Garrood, of Ledbury, 
cuttings of Apple twigs, which he mentioned he “ had placed in a box 
in the autumn with a number of Winter Moths, male and female, the 
eggs deposited on the spurs being the eggs of the Winter Moth.” 
These twigs I placed in a box in my study, and on the morning of 
March 26t.h I found that many of the eggs had hatched. The empty 
shells were now mere iridescent films of whitish or bluish skin, almost 
glassy in brightness, and to the naked eye giving completely the 
appearance of the parts of the twigs on which they were placed being 
beset with little patches of bluish or greyish mould, or the down 
natural on some Apple twigs. 
The eggs are bluntly ovai in shape,—or perhaps might be better 
described as cylindrical, rounded at each end,—about a 32nd of an inch 
