36o 



AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



especially useful as counter attractives. The beetles swarm on 

 the flowers of these plants in preference to many varieties of 

 fruits, and when thus massed in great numbers, their destruc- 

 tion by the use of collectors or other mechanical means is great- 

 ly facilitated. All ground which might serve as a breeding 

 place and which it is posible so to treat, should be plowed and 

 harrowed early in May for the destruction of the larvae or pupae. 



CATERPILLARS LIVING IN WEB NESTS WHILE 

 THE TREE IS IN LEAF, OR MORE OR LESS 

 CONCEALED IN FOLDED LEAF OR BUD. 



I. Fall Web Worm. 



(Hyphantria cnnca.) 



Fig. 19. (After Riley). 



Fig. 20. (After Howard). 



The mature insect is a moth with a wing expanse of about 

 V/i inches. It varies much in coloration but the most common 

 form is white or slightly fulvous with white wings. The wings 

 may be pure white or dotted with black and brown. In the 

 spring the moths emerge from the cocoons in which they have 

 passed the winter and the female deposits eggs upon a leaf in 

 May or June. Each moth lays from 400 to 500 eggs from 

 which hatch minute caterpillars in 10 days or more according 

 to weather conditions. These caterpillars remain together and 

 ■cover themselves with a small silken web. As they grow, more 

 and more leaves are drawn into the web which may in time 

 include the leaves of several small branches or all upon a large 

 branch. Such webs sometimes attain dimensions of several 

 feet and are conspicuous and unsightly masses. 



If they are so numerous on one tree that the food supply 



