APPLE-BLOSSOM WEEVIL (Anthonomus pomorum). This is a small beetle of a reddish-brown colour, with three inconspicuous stripes of a paler colour behind the head; the wing cases show a large pitchy-coloured blotch, with oblique striæ and yellowish spots thereon. The female busily engages herself in piercing the flower buds; while the male may be usually seen flying about the trees during the breeding season, which, of course, varies according to the earlier or later expansion of the buds. The female, by means of strong jaws at the end of the long proboscis, bores a hole in the bud, in which she lays a single egg, finally closing the opening, then passing on to other buds. The laying season lasts for two or three weeks, or, indeed, as long as the buds remain unexpanded; eggs are never laid in open blossoms. In warm weather, the eggs are hatched in six or seven days, usually about the end of April, into small, white, legless maggots, which feed upon the stamens and pistil; hence, although the petals are normally coloured, and expand, the flowers ultimately wither, and in some seasons very serious consequences have arisen from these injurious little pests. The maggot is fleshy, whitish, with a few hairs and a black, hard head; in a few days, it turns into a brown chrysalis or pupa, which, in turn, is changed into the Weevil, only about a month having elapsed from the deposition of the egg till the Weevil is developed. It feeds upon the foliage during summer, and hybernates in crannies of the bark, or under the soil at the base of the trees, during winter, waking up in the following spring to go through the same performances as its parents.
Remedies. Some of the methods advised for the extirpation of the American Blight will prove very useful for the destruction of this pest. Clear away all useless portions of the bark and rubbish round about the tree during the winter, and many will be destroyed. Place bandages of tarred cloth around the stem in spring; this will prevent the females crawling up, as they seldom fly. If a white cloth is placed beneath the tree affected when in bud, and the tree is severely shaken, a large number will be caught, as the Weevil falls to the ground when alarmed. Timely thinning of the trees, allowing the free admission of light and air, is also a very effectual preventive, as it has been proved that the greatest ravages are committed where neglect of this has been the rule; and that, on the other hand, in proportion to its being done, the pest has been lessened in numbers.
APPLE MUSSEL SCALE (Aspidiotus conchiformis). This insect attacks the bark of Apple and Pear-trees. It is in outward appearance like the half of a mussel shell. Under the scale is the insect. It is closely allied to the true scale insects, and has similar habits. The scales are about ⅛in. long, brown, and wider at one end than at the other. The female is like a fat, green, fleshy maggot, without jointed limbs. The eggs of this curious insect are not laid, but simply remain in the body of the mother until she dies, thus leaving a protecting shield or case from which the hatched larvæ emerge. To get rid of this insect, therefore, the females containing eggs should be destroyed. It differs from most other species in the absence of the long tail filaments. If numerous, this Scale causes the trees to become sickly and unfruitful. It is difficult to extirpate.
Soft-soap Lather. When the leaves fall, in autumn, the trees should be treated with a stiff sash-tool, and all the Scale rubbed off, keeping the brush just moist, and not rubbing the buds. Applied for two seasons, this should clear the trees. All loose bark should be removed.
Seal Oil is sometimes recommended as a good remedy: but oils are rather unsafe applications to the bark of trees, especially of the young branches.
FIG. 127. CODLIN MOTH AND GRUB (CARPOCAPSA POMONANA).
APPLE OR CODLIN GRUB (Carpocapsa pomonana). During the month of May, the well-known Codlin Moth (see Fig. 127) lays its eggs in the calyces, usually one in each, of the young, quickly-growing apple. The moth itself is a small insect; the fore-wings are grey, prettily speckled with delicate, darker streaks, and with a curved golden mark on the hinder part, inclosing one of a reddish-brown colour. The hind wings are usually dark, as is also the body. The caterpillar, when hatched, is white, with black head and neck, and with four rows of black marks along the whole body. The colours soon, however, become less decided, taking an indistinct brownish or grey hue. After being hatched, the caterpillar gnaws its way down the fruit, keeping clear of the core, and gradually forces its gallery towards the rind of the fruit, which it finally pierces, the opening serving as the outlet for the dirt. When nearly full grown, it pierces the core and feeds upon the pips, which injury speedily causes the fruit to drop. The insect then emerges therefrom, and finds a suitable shelter in a cranny of the bark, where it spins a cocoon; and, according to British authorities, it remains in the larval state for some weeks, finally assuming the chrysalis form, and thus passing the winter; the moth emerges the following season. Shortly after development, the moths pair, the female depositing eggs in the fruit in June or July, according to the season.
Practically, there is no preventive; but the following hints will serve to greatly reduce the numbers. All apples that fall ere they are ripe should be picked up as promptly as possible, and be given to the pigs; or pigs should be turned into the orchard to clear off the fallen fruit. The following is the only serviceable remedy:
Hayband Trap. This is simply a loosely made hayband twisted around the stems of the trees, about 1ft. from the ground. The grubs, in searching for a suitable place in which to make a cocoon, will generally choose the bands. At the end of the season, all the haybands should be collected and burnt, and the stems of the trees from which they were removed should be cleared of any cocoons which may adhere to them. All loose bark and other rubbish should be removed from the tree trunks, and also from the ground below.