196 AGRICULTURE 01^ MAINE;. 



It will not do to depend on a brush fire to destroy the nests as 

 it requires a great deal of heat to penetrate the silken cells. 

 They should be burned in a stove or furnace. 



Apple:-Tri:e: Tent Caterpillar. 



{Malacosoina mnericana.) 



It would seem that the above named insect was altogether too 

 numerous, and its life history had been published too many 

 times to need another description here. But owing to the many 

 inquiries regarding its egg-clusters and to their having been 

 taken for those of the brown-tail moth, I think it best to produce 

 a cut of its different stages and give a life history of the same. 

 For a number of years the unsightly " tents " have been on the 

 increase in many sections of the state. One can drive but a 

 few miles into the country during May and June before he will 

 observe their nests on the wild cherry and scrub apple trees 

 along the roadside. And very often, even with the knowledge 

 that they are causing a great loss to the apple crop, our orchard- 

 ists will let them go unmolested from year to year thus aiding 

 their increase. It is an easy matter to get rid of the pests. 

 The most effective method is to collect and burn the egg-clusters 

 which can readily be seen after the leaves are off the trees in 

 the fall, or at any time through the winter. A good time would 

 be in the spring when the crust would hold, on a day when the 

 sun was not too bright as the reflection on the snow would soon 

 tire the eye. With a pair of pruning shears on a pole the egg- 

 clusters could be easily removed. 



If the eggs are not gathered the young caterpillars should be 

 destroyed as soon as their tents are observed. This can be, done 

 at night when the caterpillars are all in the nest. Make a swab 

 of a piece of cloth and fasten to the end of a pole, dip this in 

 kerosene oil and burn out the nest. 



LIFE history. 

 Like the brown-tail and gyspy moth they pass through four 

 stages. 



