126 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



(Jant they destroy large numbers of both of these pests. In 

 fact, this insect is one of the best enemies we have of the two 

 pests. 



This species was first recovered from Maine in the summer 

 of 1913 when a survey of the southern part of the state showed 

 that it had spread as far north as the northern boundaries of 

 Eliot and York. A survey of additional territory the following 

 summer showed that it had spread to a line formed by the 

 northern boundaries of Lebanon, Lyman and Saco. The same 

 summer adults were collected in Massachusetts and colonized 

 at the rate of one hundred to a colony in Waterboro, Bald- 

 win, Gorham, Portland, Cumberland, Brunswick and Bowdoin- 

 ham. This year enough adults were collected to colonize New- 

 field, Parsonsfield, Limerick, Limington, Cornish, Standish, 

 Sebago, Yarmouth, North Yarmouth, Bath, Woolwich and New 

 Gloucester. 



The adults, which are large metallic green beetles of about 

 an inch in length, are collected from sections where they are 

 abundant and colonized in new territory at the rate of fifty 

 males and fifty females to each colony. If a town is sufficiently 

 infested with the gypsy moth several colonies may be planted 

 there, provided that these are at least two miles apart. 



MONODONTOMERUS AERUS. 



This insect is not included in the five parasites. 



In the preliminary notes on the enemies of the brown-tail 

 and gypsy moths given above it was mentioned that five of 

 these are at present established in Maine. Monodontomerus 

 has not been included in the five for the reason that the amount 

 of good it does is somewhat questionable. It appears to be the 

 most widely known of any of the enemies of the two pests for 

 it is present in the brown-tail webs in considerable numbers 

 during the winter and will come forth at once if these webs 

 are taken into a warm room. It has spread over the entire 

 area inhabited by the brown-tail but has accomplished very 

 little as a parasite of this species. In connection with this in- 

 sect there has sprung up a very dangerous practice in this state, 

 viz., placing brown-tail webs which may be cut from the trees, 

 in barrels which have been banded with tanglefoot around the 

 top to prevent the escape of the caterpillars. This scheme was 



