New Facts about the Codlin Moth.

Thames Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 8608, 12 March 1897, Page 2

New Facts about the Codlin Moth.

PEOFESSOK SLINGKEKLAND'S STUDIES.

At a recent meeting of the Michigan Horticultural Society, Professor M. V. Slingerland, of Cornell University, reported several interesting discoveries in entomology made by him the past season which have not hitherto been published. Although entomologists have been studying the habits of insects for hundreds of years, there are many points that have not been worked out about our most common kinds. No one yet knows how many years the common June bug remains in a larval state. In the case of the codlin moth or apple-worm, for years entomologists hare explained the deposition of the eggs as it is given in books as taking place just after the blossoms fall, and have said that a single egg was placed inside the calyx of the fruit. Yet so far as it is known, no one until recently saw one of the eggs, although its habits were deecribed more than 150 years ago, and quite accurate drawings of the insect in its various stages, except the egg, were made at that time.

EGG-LAYING OF THE CODLIX MOTH. Three years ago Professor Washburn, of the Oregon Experimental Station, found an egg laid by a codlin moth, but it wa9 on the side of the apple, and not in the calyx. There is no record as to the hatching of the egg and the history of the worm up to the time it entered the apple. Professor Singerland during the past spring placed a codlin moth in a breeding cage, and watched it deposit an egg! on an apple. Contrary to the published statement in the books, that the moths J appeared as soon as the petals drop, he found that it was not until a week later, and then the eggs were deposited oa the side ef the fruit, as observed Tby Professor Washbura. They are a little smaller than the head of a pin, j are flattened and transparent, so that the color of the apple shows through them. Under the microscope the surface is marked with lines, and it looks something like a fish scale. They are difficult to make out at first, but after they have once been seen it is not difficult. In the case of the apple blossoms, the calyx lobes close together within a few days after the petals fall, thus covering the eye, and it would not bo possible for the moth to deposit an egg inside at the time they appear. Careful observation in the orchard showed hundreds of eggs, [ but, instead of being in the calyx, j they were scattered anywhere over the surface, and sometimes there were! several to one fruit.

HOW THE WORM GETS THEKE. As observed in the insectaiy, .the ■worm, which at first was little larger than a hair, was hatched in about ten days, but remained on the surface of the apple for several hours after emerging from the egg. It then crawled about until it reached the calyx, where it worke&its way between tho lobes, and entered the cavity. Here it remained for a number of hours eating the surface of the calyx lobes, and then gnawed its way into the apple. HOW THE TAXIS GEEKN WOKKS. Although the description given in the books by the scientists was incorrect, it will be seen from the life history, as related, that the practice of spraying the trees with Paris green as soon as the blossoms fell, which has been fouud effectual after several years' trial by practical growers, ia entirely rational. At this time the calyx lobes are open, and the Paris green will readily be deposited withiu the eye, where it will be eaten by the young worm when it hatches ten days or two weeks later. The closing of the calyx is also of advantage, as i: covers the ejre and preventsthe washing out of the Paris green by drenching rains. In the case of the pear, where the catyx does not close, the use of arsenites is leas effective than with the apple. If the spraying is delayed ten daj's or two weeks after the blossoms fall, the calyx will be closed in tho case of the apple, and even though the Paris green may bo deposited on the surface of the apple, it will not be effectual against the codlin moth, as the worm does not oat until it enters the calyx. In the case of the pear, it will do well to delay the spraying until just before the eggs hatch, as it will lessen the chance of its poison being washed out of the calyx, SECOND BEOOD. The second brood of worms sometimes does not enter the calyx, but will aat into the side of the fruit if there is a leaf resting on it to givo a leverage. I'he moths etpergo from the cocoons a week after the blossoms fall, having spent the winter as caterpillars, enclosed in the cocoons upon the trunks >f the trees, or in some hiding place, flic last of April or first of May in America, equal to October and Noveni* ber in New Zealand, thoy change to jupio, and later on appear as moths

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