[Illustration: FIG. 21.]
[Illustration: FIG. 22.]
[Illustration: FIG. 23.]
The following is condensed from bulletin No. 42, written by Prof. J. M.
Stedman, entomologist of the state university, Columbia, Mo.: The
fringed-wing apple-bud moth is a new and heretofore undescribed species
of insect, increasing rapidly and infesting new areas. The best spray to
destroy them is, one pound pure Paris green, three pounds of fresh lime,
and 150 gallons of water, constantly agitated while spraying. First
application as soon as the buds open sufficiently to give the tree a
green tinge; second, five days later; third, at time flower-buds open;
if it rains do it over at once. Kill the worms before they eat into the
bud. The egg is very small, light yellow, and oval, and apt to escape
notice. The young worm is also very small when hatched and of a light
yellow color, which afterwards turns to pale green, a shining black
head, and a brown spot (which soon turns black) back of the head. It has
three pairs of dark-colored true legs under its fore parts, and five
pairs of prolegs under the rear three-fifths of the body. As soon as
hatched they begin to feed on the unfolding leaves, and at once crawl to
the heart of the expanded flower or leaf-bud.
[Illustration: FIG. 24. Work of the Fringed-wing Apple-bud Moth.]
The destructive effects cause the tree to look as if swept by fire,
owing to the brown and partly developed foliage. See fig. 24. These
worms (fig. 21) complete their growth in about four weeks, enter the
earth, and, passing one or two inches below the surface, spin a cocoon.
They come out as adult moths in about six weeks, or about the middle of
July. Fig. 22 is the moth enlarged; fig. 23, natural size. The females
soon begin to lay eggs, singly, on the young apple leaves. From these
eggs a second brood is hatched more quickly than the spring brood. This
second brood often eats through the heart of the terminal bud into the
twig. When grown, this second brood enters the ground as did the first,
but do not come forth as adults until the following spring.