366 Report of the Entomologists of the 



in the former group, are found some of the most destructive in- 

 sects of the orchard. The family Lasiocampidae, into which 

 this species is further classified, includes according, to Comstock, 1 

 less than 30 described North American species well distributed 

 throughout the United States. Thus the family may be con- 

 sidered a comparatively small one but, because of the serious injury ' 

 which its members 'are capable of doing, of much economic im- 

 portance. The more common eastern species of this family repre- 

 sent three genera, namely, Clisioeampa which includes the tent 

 caterpillars, Phylloderma and Tolype which include the lappet 

 caterpillars, so-called because they have on each side of each seg- 

 ment a small lappet or lobe. From an economic standpoint the 

 genus Clisiocdmpa is the most important. 



Scientific name. — The scientific name, Clisiocampa americana, 

 was first proposed by Harris 2 in 1852, but only a brief description 

 was then given. 



Popular names. — No less than 9 popular names have been 

 applied to this insect by writers on economic entomology as fol- 

 lows: "The American Lackey Moth," "The American Lackey 

 Worm/' " American Lackey Caterpillar," " The Apple Tree 

 Caterpillar," " The Apple Web Worm," " The Tent Caterpillar," 

 " The American Tent Caterpillar," " The Orchard Tent Cater- 

 pillar " and " The Apple Tree Tent Caterpillar." The last name 

 has been generally adopted by more recent writers. 



HISTORY AND PRESENT DISTRIBUTION. 



This species is a native of North America. The earliest records 

 which we have of it show that it was a troublesome species to the 

 early settlers of Massachusetts. Fitch 3 states that it did much 

 harm in Massachusetts in 1646 and 1649, so that these years were 



1 Manual for the Study of Insects, p. 360. 



2 Harris' Treatise on Insects, p. 289. 



3 Noxious Insects of New York. Rpts. 1 and 2, p. 185. 



