273 



Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. 



a broad, longitudinal black stripe, or rather a row of long black 

 spots, one on each ring, in the middle of each of which is a small 

 blue spot; below this is a narrow wavy yellow line, and lower still 

 the sides are variegated with fine intermingled black and yellow 

 lines, which are lost at last in the general dusky color of the under 

 side of the body. The whole body is very sparingly clothed with 

 short and soft hairs, rather thicker and longer on the sides than 

 elsewhere." At all stages of their existence the larvre are enor- 





Fig. 5. Orchard Tent Caterpillar. 

 a b. Full grown larvae, c. Egg cluster, d. Cocoon. 



mous feeders, but as they approach maturity, they develop won- 

 derful proficiency in this line, often stripping whole orchards in a 

 brief space of time, leaving the trees as bare of vegetation as they 

 are in mid- winter. Having consumed the foliage on one tree they 

 hasten to others. In some instances they have been so numerous 

 and rapacious as to be driven by want of food to extend their trav- 

 els some distance from their starting point. This species usually 

 confine its ravages to the orchard, preferring the leaves of the ap- 



