The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-03-26
ANTS AND BEETLES EATING
N0xIOUS COOLING MOTn
Studies Of Destructive Insect In APP
palachian Region by q. q. Depart
ment Of Agriculture Reveals Great
Saving to Apple Raisss

Washington, D. c., March 2s.-Un-
der the title, "Studies of the Codling
Moth in the Central Appalachian Re
gion, chronological specialists Of the
U. s. Department of Agriculture have
reported the results OF Investigations
of this apple destroying insect carried
ON since 1911 in Virginia, West Vir-
ginia, and Maryland. The studies
were conducted principally at Char
lottesville, Nshersville, Greenwood and
Winchester, Va; keyser, French Creek
and Piekens, w. Va; and Hagerstown,
Smithsburg and Hancock, Md.
The purpose of the study was to de-
termine the breeding habits of these
enemies to the apple industry, which
have developed recently throughout
the Central Appalachian section to an
extent which makes its control of in
ereasing Importance. The Investigators
gave special attention to determining
the breeding habits of the pest and to
discovering the effect of elevation and
temperature ON its control. They also
made a special study of natural enc
mics which in this region tend to re-
duce the number of larvae.
| The results of their study are re-
ported in Bulletin No. 1S9, which con-
tains 40 pages and number of dia-
grams and Illustrations. BY putting
burlap around many unsprayed apple
trees, over 10000 specimens of larvae
were collected and placed in containers
SO that habits could be studied.
Following is partial summary of
the results obtained:
During a single year the eodling
moth, in the region covered by the
present studies, produces one full brood
of larvae ami partial second brood,
the size of the second brood depending
more or less on the latitude and alti-
tude of the locality
The studies show marked differ
enee in the time of appearance of the
different broods in different localities.
Charlottesville gave the earliest rec
ords for practically all broois and
Pickens the latest. There seems, how
ever, to be no constant rate of differ
ence between the earlier and later 10.
calities. This seems TO be largely due
to the responsiveness of the species
during its metamorphic changes to To-
cal and transient weather conditions.
During the time of the investigation
tnC HTst-uEtuu ldtNdt utSdh tHlcIiiS
the fruit at Charlottesville from April
2S to May Is, and seeond-brood larvae
from June 25 TO July 1. At Pickens
firSt-brood larvae began entering the
fruit from June 20, to July l, and Sec
ond-orood larvae about August 10. Be-
tween these two localities there is a
greater difference in the time of the
regular periodical changes of the insect
that occur late in the season than of
those that occur early in the season.
This is probably due to the cumulative
retarding effect of the more frequent
unfavorable weather conditions at the
higher point.
Records of the numbers of larvae
collected from trees on which bands
were placed around the trunks and also
around the bases of the larger branch
eS indicate that 41.49 per cent. drop
to the ground and then ascend the
trunk to pupate and 5S.51 per cent.
crawl down the branches from the in
Tested fruit TO pupate.
Two specimens of ants (Solenopsis
molesta Say and Lasius niger L. var.
americana Emery were found in sew
eral localities devouring eodlipgmoth
larvae Larvae and adults of the bee,
tie Tenebroides corticalis Melsh. were
found frequently feeding ON codling-
moth larvae and pupae, Six species of
hymenopterous and one of dipterous
parasites were reared in the jars. OF
these the most destructive to the cod
ling moth were Aseogaster carpocapsaeI
Vier. and Itoplectis marginatus Prov.
Hairworm parasites (Mermis sp.) were
abundant in one locality and very ma
terially reduced the number of winter
ing larvae in the year 1911.