230 



agriculture; of maine;. 



the process of laying the eggs. As the female moth is a very 

 weak flyer, these eggs are not deposited on the leaves as are 

 those of the brown-tail moth, but are placed on the trunks of 

 the trees, on the under side of large limbs, very often hidden 

 away under rocks, brush-piles, fence rails and holes in trees, in 

 fact, in any out-of-the-way place where the moth can crawl in 

 and be unmolested. These eggs do not hatch until the following 

 spring when the leaves are sufficiently developed to furnish food 

 for the young caterpillars. 



Fig. 12 — Egg Cluster of Gipsy Moth. 



LARVA OR CATERPILLAR. 



The young caterpillars hatch from the first to the middle of 

 May. They are so small as not to be seen by the casual 

 observer, as they crawl up the trees. They are almost black in 

 color, with very slight bodies about one-eighth of an inch in 

 length, covered with numerous hairs. As they grow they shed 

 their skins, or moult, several times before reaching maturity. 

 In the advance stages, the most of the feeding is done during 

 the night. They reach their full growth from the first to the 



