Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-05-06
The Arch Enemy Of the Apple.

BY Professor Cook, Michigan Agricultural College.
There is no other fruit raised in
the United States which in real value
can rank with the apple. Therefore,
anything which aids the orchardist
in growing the finest apples in per-
fection, receives close attention from
the pomologist. We see then why
aught concerning the arch enemy OF
the apple-grower, the codling moth
always secures an attentive car
among fruit growers. This insect
passes the Winter as a larva, con-
cealed in some crevice, and wrapped
in n thin cocoon of light colored
silk. Early in May It assumes the
pupa state, and soon after energies
from its concealment, as a small
gray moth. The moth, whether from
the cellar, the kitchen or tue orchard,
steals forth TO the bearing apple
trees, where on the blossom end of
the forming fruit, it lays its small
eggs only one in each apple. These
moths will continue TO emerge from
their winter home for six weeks.
Here at Lansing they come forth
from the time of the fruit blossoms
the middle of May--till the first
week in July. The eggs soon hatch,
and the wee larvae eat into the apples
from which they emerge sleek and
well-fed in about Ave weeks.
So the larvae from the first brood
will be leaving the fruit from the last
of June till the last Of July. About
half of the apples which are attacked
rather more in early varieties
fall to the ground before the larvae
leave them, and, unless the apples
are destroyed, the worms" crawl
forth and seek crevice in which to
transform. In the absence of rub
bish or stumps beneath the trees
they crawl up the tree trunks and
hide beneath bark scales, in cracks,
or wherever coneealment is offered.
Those in the apples, which adhere TO
the trees crawl down on like errand.
In from ten to twelve days-some-
times eight, if the weather il very
warm-the second brood of moths
comes forth to prepare for repeti.
ton OF the same destructive work.
This second brood behaves very
much like the first, except that the
larvae do not assume the chrysalid
or pupa state till the next summer.
So We see that the moths cease 20
emerge after the first of September.
III hogs or sheep are kept in the
apple and pear orchards they will
eat all windfalls, and so DESTROY all
the "worms that fall with the apples
to the ground. AS many of the
larvae which leave the apples while
The latter are still pendent will be
destroyed by sap sucker, blue.iay.
robin, cuckoo and shrike, the above
remedy Is more complete than we
would at first believe, and should
never be neglected, unless a better
one be made to take its place. The
best remedy, and one which has Civ.
en- excellent satisfaction In MICHIGAN
whenever applied with thoroughness,
Is to trap with bands. This demands
the removal of all rubbish from be.
meath the trees and all bark.scales
and bird-nests from the trees, which
should be done before the fret worms
leave the fruit. In this latitude June
20 would do. Further south June !
would be none too early. This work
can be done any time In April or
May, when most convenient. Five
weeks from the time that the trees
bloom the bands should be placed
around all trees that are bearing
festtt .