THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



315 



The eggs are deposited in July in masses of about 300. They are covered with the 

 hair from the parent moth in a way somewhat similar to the gipsy moth. The eggs 



hatch during the late summer and some f ling takes place before cold weather sels 



in. They then form a nest by drawing the leaves together by means of silk. In 

 this nest the young caterpillars spend the winter and when spring arrives they feed 

 rapidly and develop into moths in June or July. It is in the form of this winter 

 nest that the pest is usually found by quarantine inspectors. 



Fig. 114. — Caterpillars of the gipsy 

 moth below a tanglefoot band. (Photo 

 by D. M. Rogers, U. S. D. A.) 



The adult moth of both sexes is almost pure white in color, with golden brown 

 hairs at the end of the abdomen, which give them the name browntail moth. They 

 are much smaller than the gipsy moth, their wing-spread being from one to one and 

 one-half inches. The caterpillars are covered with poisonous hairs which cause a 

 very painful rash when they come in contact with the skin. 



