The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1906-12-28
GOBLIN MOTH
A Paper by S. ". Maxey on Goblin Moth
in Kttitas County.

Ofall insect pests the apple worm.
or .codlin moth, is the most pernicious.
It appears in the early worm eaten
apples or pears in the form of a red
dish white worm and causes the fruit
to ripen prematurely and fall from the
tree.
While this insect is so pernicious
there are many ways to combat 1t, OF
which l may mention that clean cul-
ture and vigilance are two require
ments.
These moths appear in the greatest
numbers on warm evenings about the
first to the middle of June, and lay
their eggs usually in or near the eye or
calyx end of the fruit. With clean
cultivation at the time the worm
leaves the fruit and lowers itself to
the ground, heavy rolling of the
ground around the trees will destroy
MANY worms that have hidden away
to await transformation. The scraping
of the scales of the bark from the
trunks of the trees is another help in
dislodgin the insects that hide away
under the rough bark and spin their
cocoons A torch may be a good
weapon to use about the time the moth
is mating. She may be found by close
observation sticking to the body of the
tree This torch should be made Of
cotton yarn tied on the end Of stick
the size of broom handle and three
feet long. The ball of cotton yarn
should be saturated in turpentine or
alcohol Set this torch afre and pass
from tree to tree and pass it up and
around the trunks of the trees In this
way many moths may be destroyed on
the trunks of the trees and others will
fly to the light from distance and
SINCE their wings and perish. 1t is said
by some the Goblin moth will not fly
to light, but my experience has led
me to believe that many can be de-
stroyed in this way. We have seen
moth traps consisting of basin of soap
suds with light, or rather o lamp
burning above the basin, where a
great number of moths and other
winged insects were caught, and
among them quite a number of Goblin
moths. 1t is true the Goblin moth is
net so easily coyed and trapped in this
way as most other winged insects.
Owing to their inclination to adhere
closely to their lodging place unless
disturbed, in order to make your eff
forts effective it would be we'll to have
a number of moth traps or bonfires
burning at the same time: then with
the torch spoken of above pass from
tree to tree and either destroy the
moths outright or put them to flight.
Once on the wing they are as apt to
fly to light as any other insects This
method of fighting the Goblin moth
must be done at the time of mating,
they being more frisky then than at any
other time during their moth lifetime.
This period is governed by the season,
but the careful orchardist will readily
observe the proper time.
Bandages of burlap loosely tied
around the tree is another method OF
trapping the Goblin moth as it af
fords good place for the worm when
descending to spin its cocoon in the
folds of the burlap. These folds OF
burlap should be taken off every two
weeks and submerged in pail of boil
ing water, then replaced around the
trees again.
Fumigation of the trees with spray
made Of refuse tobacco is an excellent
spray to drive the moth from your
trees at the time the moth is deposit
Ing its eggs. If any eggs are deposited
when the young larva comes forth it:
fest meal of tobacco juice is not very
palatable, and it sickens and dies. We
believe strong spray of tobacco is
about as efficient as Il spray of Pari.
Green or Helebor. There is scarcely
any insect that likes tobacco. and | an
surprised that any man should like it.
Bunches of camomile hung anon
the branches of your trees makes {
fume that is offensive to insects ant
has a tendency to drive insects from
the trees. Bottles partly filed with soal
suds and hung upon the limbs of the