2US Report ok the Entomologists of tjie 



young caterpillars have hatched also delays their growth. Dr. 

 Tiiley'^ states that the newly hatched caterpillars are able to fast 

 fully three weeks and " lo withstand any amount of inclement 

 weather." 



Feeding hcibits. — During the first three or four weeks the cater- 

 pillars are gregarious, but as they approach full size, and espe- 

 cially after the last molt they scatter about the tree. During the 

 earlier stages onl}^ a portion of the leaf is consumed, but later 

 nearly the entire leaf may be devoured. Weed states^^ that " the 

 caterpillars commonly eat through the leaf in such a way that the 

 outer end drops to the ground," thus causing the insect to be rela- 

 tively more destructive than if devouring the entire leaf. They 

 feed chieHy during the night, and to a limited extent during the 

 cool of the day. While not feeding they were often seen last sea- 

 son resting in small groups upon the leaves, as shown in Plate 

 XXI, fig. 2, which is from a snap-shot taken on a very warm day 

 at 11 :15 A. M. The nature of the injury to the leaves is also shown 

 in this picture. 



Silk spinning habit. — From the first the young caterpillars 

 spin a thread of silk wherever they go, but seldom if ever make a 

 true nest. Sometimes a few leaves that the caterpillars have 

 passed over will become covered with silk and attached to adjoin- 

 ing leaves, thus giving the whole the appearance of a rude nest 

 or tent. If disturbed the young caterpillars will drop quickly 

 to the ground. In the bulletin just referred to Dr. Weed reports 

 an observation bv Mr. W. F. Fiske to the effect that the voung 

 caterpillars when suddenly disturbed while feeding will drop 

 to the ground without attaching a thread. This is also true of the 

 older caterpillars. When congregated upon a twig the young cat- 

 erpillars are more apt to attach a thread which, however, is quite 

 likely to be broken before the ground is reached. This habit of 

 dropping to the ground ^^•llen disturbed, as they undoubtedly often 

 are by birds or by the branches swaying in the wdnd, probably, as 



15 Amor. Ent. and Bot., 2: 2G2. 



16 N. H. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bui. 64, pp. S3-84. 



