[Illustration: FIG. 15. _a_, Beetle, natural size; _b_, beetle,
magnified; _c_, side and back view of same, magnified.]
[Illustration: FIG. 16. _a_, Pupa stage; _b_, larva, or worm. Hair-lines
to the left of pupa show natural size.]
This insect, fig. 15, is usually of a uniform rusty brown color. Four
humps or tubercles are easily seen, two on each wing cover near the
rear. The snout varies from half to the full length of the insect. With
this snout it drills round holes into the apple; these holes are made
for food, and are about one-tenth of an inch deep, widened out below
like a gourd. The female deposits an egg in such hole, which soon
hatches into a tiny worm that usually burrows to the core, and produces
a reddish excrement. In a month, when fully grown, the worm is soft and
white, without feet, wrinkled, and curved crosswise, as in _b_, fig. 16;
too humped and crooked to crawl about out of the apple, it stays in and
changes to pupa, as in _a_, fig. 16, leaving the apple as a perfect
beetle after two or three weeks. It passes the winter in the adult state
and begins laying eggs about June 1, continuing until late in August.
President Wellhouse says he has surely reduced them by spraying.
LEAF-CRUMPLER, or LEAF-ROLLER.
[Illustration: FIG. 17. FIG. 18.
Here _a_ represents worm case; _b_, case attached to a limb; _c_, head
and first segments; _d_, perfect moth. All are magnified; the hair-lines
just under the moth, _d_, represent the natural size.]
The parent of this is a small grayish moth, _d_, fig. 17, which emerges
from the unsightly mass of dry leaves, as in _b_, fig. 18, formed the
previous season by the insect, and may be seen, gathered, and burned,
during the winter. The female immediately begins laying eggs upon the
leaves of the tree. During the fore part of June small, brownish worms
appear, which at once construct tubular silken cases, in which they
hide. They leave these cases, generally at night, to feed. As they grow
they attach webs to the partly eaten leaves and gather them about
themselves, so that finally the irregular mass of leaves completely
hides the tubular case. In the spring, as the buds swell and the leaves
appear, they come out and do great damage. They grow until in May, when
they close up the opening to the case, and in two weeks the moth
emerges, as above.
_Remedies._ There are two parasites that prey upon them. Collect the
cases and tufts of leaves during the winter and burn them. The spray
recommended for canker-worm is successful in destroying them.
TWIG-GIRDLER, TWIG-PRUNER, and TWIG-BORER.
Sometimes trouble orchards, but in Kansas they are not bad. Their habits
are indicated by their names, and it is scarcely necessary to describe
them in this work. Numerous bulletins are issued free, describing them
and their habits. See fig. 19.
[Illustration: FIG. 19. Twig-girdler at work.]
ROOT-LOUSE, or WOOLLY APHIS.
The young are hatched from a minute egg laid in crevices of the bark,
near the ground, and are covered with white down. The grown female
measures about one-tenth of an inch in length, oval in shape, with black
head and feet, dusty legs and antennae. They attach themselves to the
branches and trunk with their long beaks, sucking the vitality from the
tree, which they will kill if in large numbers. During the summer the
females are wingless, but at autumn both sexes have wings, and it is in
this condition that they spread rapidly. They are produced alive at this
time of the year with wonderful rapidity. Where plentiful the trunk and
branches have a moldy appearance. "Lady-birds" and their larvae, the
larvae of lace-winged flies and syrphus-flies, the small chalcid fly and
spiders devour them. No birds are known to feed upon them.
_Remedy._ Plenty of lye wash, even soap-suds or soap wash is good.
Kerosene emulsion is good. The insect above described is only one form,
viz., woolly aphis. The other form, as root-louse, is described below.
To the public they are two distinct insects.