Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-08-07

! frost until the buds begin to swell
in the spring the case-covered lar
vac remain nestled close to dor
mant buds almost of the same color
consequently, difficult to discover
by man or natural enemies.
No method of killing the insects
during the alternating season has
been discovered. However, it is
likely that experiments will be made
to discover solutions that will kill
them at such times. The lime-su
rhur solution, which is used against
the San Jose scale, or one of the
miscible oils, might do the work.
But growers should be cautious about
these materials until careful expert
ments have been made. 1t is ex-
pensive to spray pecan trees, and
until the effectiveness of any material
lis accurately determined, it is bet
ter to stick to arsenate of lead
sprayings. If the grower wishes
to make such experiments, it would
be advisable to do it on a small
scale. If four trees are sprayed,
four trees of the same variety must
be left unsprayed so that the merits
of the work can be determined. The
variety is that the case-bearer works
with varying severity on different
varieties.
At the opening of spring the larvae
are very small, although they have
lived half of the previous summer
and all winter. But they begin feed
ing in the spring previously and
grow rapidly. Young, tender bud close
nishes abundant food without incur
ring dangers of travel. Spraying
with poison at this stage has not
proven effective. This is due, no
doubt, to the location Of the larvae,
lection afforded by the rapid growth
of the unfolding buds. If the spray
ing is made just as the buds unfold,
in a very few days the portions COW
cred with the spray are left behind
on the rapidly growing foliage, and
small percentage of the worms would
feed on the sprayed portion. On the
other hand, if the spraying is de-
layed until the foliage has had time
to fully develop, the damage has
been done and the larvae have gone
into the pupa stage.
After the larvae have reached ma
turity, they prepare to pass into the
pupa stage. The worms spin silken
cocoon, which is attached to a fold
ed leaf or to the twig from which
the larvae had eaten the buds. This
can easily be located By pinching
off the end of the cocoon, the pupa
can be seen in his resting quarters.
From these cocoons the adult moths
emerge. Natural enemies kill some
of these case-bearers when they are
in the pupal stage, but so far this
destruction has not been sufficient
to be of value. AS stated, the moth
energies from the cocoon during
June and July and probably a few
hold over until August and Septem-
Der. Spraying will not kill these
pupae as they do not feed and are
difficult to get at with any con-
tact insecticide.
The adult Of the case-bearer is a
moth which energies from the cocoon
and performs the important task of
laying eggs. The. moths, as such,
are not injurious, but their import
ance comes from laying eggs which
hatch into destructive worms, or
larvae. There is no known method
of fighting moths directly. 1t seems
that birds gather good many for
food. Around towns where there are
very few pecan trees it may be pos
sible that birds will keep them in
check. In the commercial sections,