REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST I908 



53 



western part of the city, where the trees are somewhat abundant, 

 was badly injured by the insect, and it was in this section of the 

 city where the moths were most numerous. It is probable that there 

 were comparatively few extensive flights. The causes for this ex- 

 cessive abundance are probably to be found in the scarcity of bird 

 life, in the temporary reduction of native parasites and possibly in 

 part to unusually favorable climatic conditions. 



The extensive defoliations by this species, recorded in our rejjort 

 for last year,^ have been continued and large areas in the Catskills 

 have suffered severely. Reports of injury in the towns of Harden- 

 burg, Shandaken and Ladleton, Ulster co., indicated defoliation of 

 extensive tracts of beech. There is also a record of severe injury 

 by this pest from DeBruce, Sullivan co. This species was like- 

 wise destructive to beeches in the Adirondacks, Forester E. S. 



fefecr- 



^>^- 



Fig. is Snow-white linden moth, larva on twig. 

 (Original) 



Fig. 16 Snow-white linden moth, 

 pupae, enlarged. (Original) 



Woodruff reporting that the beeches on the John Brown tract num- 

 ber 2, ranges 12 and 13, lots 3 to 8 were defoliated, the stripped 

 area being about 3 miles long and having a width of 3^2 mile at 

 one end and i mile at the other. The cater])illars fed at hrst 

 upon young beeches, then stripped the older beeches, practically 

 skeletonizing the foliage, and then turned to l)irches and maples, 

 eating holes in the foliage of the latter. 1'he lower limbs of the 

 trees on the defoliated area bore numerous empty pupal cases in 

 September, and irregular egg masses occurred in abundance upon 

 the bark of beech, birch and maple. The eggs of this species are 

 deposited at an obli(|ue angle to the .supporting surface, are about 

 I mm in length, barrel-.shaped and light brown, with a conspicu- 

 ous dark salmon ring at the extremity. They occur in irregular 



» N. Y, State Ent, 23CI Rcp't. 1907- N. Y. State Mus. Dul. 1 24, p. 23-28. 



