Show tita TY jha geltl iri NEW INSECT ENEMY OF PEACH discovered an insect destructive to the peach and kindred fruits believed to be hew in the united states has been discovered by entomologists of the U S department part ment of agriculture in the district of columbia and its environs this insect which in its adult form is a brownish moth and in its larval stage a small white and pink caterpillar attacks both the tender shoots and fruit causing serious losses because of the habits babits of the worm the usual control measures such as spraying with certain ar senates will vill probably not be effective the smooth young shoots owing to their rapid growth are protected by the poison solution for only a very short time af after ter the spray is is applied and hence it is almost impossible in to poison them the en of the department who have been investigating the pest will continue to study it in the hope of developing con arol measures the insect known to science as molesta is believed to have been introduced from japan so far as aa the departments part ments know it has not been found in america other than in the district of columbia and in the adjoining territory in maryland and vir ginia the specialists lists are desirous of knowing if the insect has attack attacked cd peach plum or cherry trees elsewhere in the united states the presence of the insect can be best st be determined in most cases by the nature of its injury to peach trees it bores into practically every tender causes new shoots to PM pualo U out from lateral buds these are atta attacked Ared in turn the abnormal stimulation of lateral growth producing a much branch ed cd and bus bushy plant A copious flow of gum from the twig ends often follows the attacks of the tha caterpillars in attacking fruit the young caterpillars generally eat through the skin at or near the point of attachment of the fruit stem the larva as it grows makes its way to the pit where it feeds on the flesh which soon becomes much discolored and more or less slimy larvae en bering at the side of the fruit are more in ore likely to eat out pockets or cavities in the flesh the full grown catera caterpillar illar spins a whitish silk cocoon in in which to pupate moths emerge in the spring for egg laying by b y the time the th e shoots ar are e well out the bureau of entomology U S department of agriculture especially requests owners of peach or other fruit precis to report rt the presence of this new pest in their orchards specimens of twigs may be mailed wrapped in paper or preferably in a suitable box |