REPORT ON THE FIG MOTH IN SMYRNA.

By E. G. SMYTH, Entomological Assistant.

In accordance with orders received from the Secretary of Agriculure, contained in a letter of authority dated July 1, 1910, and under pecific instructions from Dr. F. H. Chittenden, contained in a letter f June 30, the writer sailed from New York on July 9 for Smyrna, Turkey in Asia, to investigate the problem of eliminating the fig noth (Ephestia cautella Walk.) and other insects injurious to dried

gs.

SOURCES OF INFESTATION.

As in the solution of all similar problems of how to avoid injury rom insect attack, before definite remedies could be prescribed it was necessary to determine the exact source of infestation. There re seven distinct periods in the preparation of Smyrna figs for martet, before their receipt at New York, when infestation by moths s possible: (1) While the fruit is on the tree; (2) while drying on he ground; (3) in the fig "depots" of interior Asia Minor; (4) in he freight cars en route to Smyrna; (5) in the bazaars in Smyrna ; 6) in the packing houses or "khans "a of Smyrna; and (7) in the teamers during shipment to America. All previously noted habits of the same moth in this country, where it occurs only in buildings r places where dried fruits or food materials are stored, pointed to he packing houses as the most probable source of infestation, it being matter of common knowledge that in them conditions of uncleanliess are so bad that the moths, if once established, would breed generation after generation unmolested.

When the writer reached Smyrna, August 5, it was found that the ig export season had scarcely begun and figs were not yet arriving rom the villages, so the interior of Asia Minor was visited Half of the month of August was spent in the Meander Valley (Pl. V, ig. 2), which furnishes about 90 per cent of the dried figs of Smyrna, and in immediate proximity to the trees, where every condition surrounding the maturing and dropping of the fruit could be noted.

A Turkish and Syrian word—a caravansary or unfurnished inn; used in Smyrna to lesignate a packing house, because caravansaries are often used for fig packing.

OCCURRENCE OF LARVÆ IN THE ORCHARD.

If the larvæ, or "worms," come from the orchard, as held by the packers in Smyrna, and are in the figs when gathered, the same degree of infestation should be found on the ripening fruit on the tree as in the dried fruit in the market, which is seldom less than 15 per cent and often more than 50 per cent. But this is not the case. On rare occasions only were larvæ found in the ripe fruit on the tree.

In an orchard at Kara Bounar, August 18, many figs were picked from the trees and broken open, and a few found to contain young larvæ. Figs were ripening in numbers and shriveling on the trees, and some had dropped and been gathered and spread on serghi "a at one side of the orchard to dry. A small percentage of these was also found infested. The larvæ were quite young, most of them less than two weeks old. Their presence was usually indicated by a silk webbing at the eye of the fig. In no case was the skin of the fig injured by the larva, nor was there other evidence of its presence within the fig.

In an orchard at Nazli many figs were broken open from the trees, but very few were found wormy. Those placed in jars, however, later turned out to be often quite wormy, as though eggs or very young larvæ had been present in them when they were picked. Larvæ found were of the usual pink color, and occurred, as a rule, one, and very seldom more than two, in a fig.

A smaller larva, the young of a nitidulid beetle, Carpophilus hemipterus L., sometimes occurred in small colonies of from 3 to 7 individuals at the open or eye end of figs on the trees or drying on the "serghi." These occurred usually in split or injured figs, and their presence never accompanied that of Ephestia larvæ in a fig.

Repeated attempts to find larvæ in figs on the trees in the large orchards at Tchifte Kaive were unsuccessful. The conclusion was that, while figs are sometimes attacked by the larvæ of the fig moth before they fall from the tree, it is the exception rather than the rule. The percentage of figs thus attacked is very small, the larger part of the infestation taking place later, while the figs are drying on the "serghi" or are piled in the fig depots.

EGGS ON FIGS ON THE TREES.

It was evident that the "worms" were not present in any number in the figs when they dropped from the trees. But as they were known to appear in the figs a week or two after their dropping, and to be present in numbers when the figs arrived in Smyrna from the

Beds of reeds or other suitable plants laid upon the ground to protect figs from 200tact with the soil while drying.

FIG. 2.-TYPICAL SMYRNA FIG ORCHARD IN MEANDER VALLEY, ASIA MINOR, WHENCE COME THE BEST FIGS FOR EXPORT. THIS IS THE REAL HOME OF THE FIG MOTH. (ORIGINAL.)

interior, there seemed a possibility that the eggs were laid before the figs dropped from the trees. To determine if this were the case, hundreds of ripe or ripening figs on the trees were examined, but no eggs were found.

The first search for eggs in an orchard was made at Nazli, Asia Minor, on August 8. The fruit was just ripening and none had begun to shrivel or dry. The figs were closely examined, but no sign of Ephestia eggs was found. Ten days later a similar search for the eggs was made in an orchard at Kara Bounar, and, although the figs were much riper than previously and many were shriveling and dropping to the ground, the examination was fruitless of results. Both the outside of the skin and the interior of the eye of many figs were examined, but nothing having the appearance of fig-moth eggs was discovered. On the following day at Nazli figs were again examined in the orchard where observations were made on August 8. Still no eggs were revealed, even by the use of strong hand lenses.

Many attempts were made to find eggs on figs on the trees in an orchard at Tchifte Kaive, between August 21 and 26. A great many figs were cut open and the scales about the eye examined one by one, but no eggs were revealed. Several times, while examining figs, small, white, globular objects were found adhering to the skin. These, superficially, resembled the eggs of Ephestia, but when put under a good lens proved to be secretions of honey from the substance of the fig that had hardened on the outside.

MOTHS IN THE ORCHARD.

While search was being made for eggs in the orchard at Nazli a careful watch was kept for adults. The bark of trees was inspected, and débris and trash piles about the orchard were disturbed with a hope of arousing the moths. At Kara Bounar, August 18, reeds upon which the figs were drying were fruitlessly turned over in search of moths. The same was done on a later visit to Nazli, and vegetation in a vineyard closely adjoining a fig orchard was well shaken, but no moths were aroused.

When it became too dark to see, trees were examined by use of electric bull's-eye lamps. Chrysopid adults were thus revealed in numbers, flying about the foliage, and had the fig moths been present they would without doubt have been revealed by the light.

All efforts to locate moths about the trees, either in daylight or by the use of bull's-eye lamps, having failed, it was decided to climb a fig tree with an ordinary lantern and lie in wait for the appearance of the moths among the branches or foliage. This was done on August 25 in an orchard at Tchifte Kaive. In an hour's vigilance two moths were attracted to the light and a third seen flying among the foliage. Such a scarcity of moths could not account for the