PITH MOTH. 
83 
When the sap begins to flow in spring, the caterpillars hatch, and 
they are described by Kaltenbach as attacking the leaf-buds, by 
Schmidberger as especially eating the end bud of young grafts. Their 
presence may sometimes be known by a drop of sap flowing from the 
leaf-bud. 
The caterpillars also attack the expanding flower-buds, and it is 
noticed that “ they are to be found concealed in the depth of the spun- 
together, withering, and drying-up leaves and bunches of flowers ; 
later on they attack the neighbouring healthy leaves and fruit, and 
gnaw down to the epidermis of the under side of the green leaves, or 
even the leaf-stalk.” It is stated to turn to the chrysalis state amongst 
the rubbish and dirt caused by its presence. 
For prevention of further mischief, Schmidberger recommends 
opening the buds which are seen to be glued together by a drop of sap 
with a penknife, and extracting the caterpillar ; but the more summary 
process of breaking off the bud and destroying it, caterpillar and all, 
would seem more desirable, or, later on, picking off the killed, partly . 
developed, and infested buds. 
Pith Moth, Lciverna atra, Haw. ; L. Hellerella, Dup.—The Lavenia 
atra , or Pith Moth, is a little moth only half an inch across in the 
spread of its wings, with white head and face ; the fore wings black, 
with the inner margin white to beyond the middle, with an irregular 
white band proceeding from it to the tip of the wing, and other white 
markings; but sometimes the wings are stated to be almost black, and 
the head and face darker; the hind wings grey. 
The moths are mentioned by Mr. Stainton as “not scarce in June 
among Whitethorn; the dark variety appears exclusively attached to the 
Apple ; it is possible it may be a distinct species.” For description and 
locality quoted *see Stainton’s ‘ Lepiaoptera,’ Tineina, pp. 239 and 240. 
The only published observations on the habits of the species that 
I am acquainted with are those of Herr Mulilig, of Frankfort-on-Maine. 
He observes that “ the caterpillars which live through the winter wait 
the return of spring close together (‘dicht’) in a boring under the 
bark of an old twig, beneath an Apple-bud. In May the little cater¬ 
pillars bore into the growing young shoot, and feed on the pith; they 
also advance into the flower-stalk, and eat it hollow, whence the 
Apple-blossom fades, or even the whole flowering-stem withers off 
miserably, and is ruined. The larvse are often found there in over¬ 
whelming numbers, so that it is easy to see what injurious enemies the 
Laverna Hellerella (of Duponchel) are to Apple-trees.” 
“ The caterpillars live in the same way on the allied Whitethorn, 
which they more especially infest in this neighbourhood (Aix la 
Chapelle), but to these bushes the damage is less important.”* 
* ‘ Die Pflanzenfeinde aus der Klasse der Insekten,’ von J. H. Kaltenbach, p. 781. 
