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310 THE MAPLE AND ITS ENEMY 



Maples near Philadelphia, in the suiumer of 1S54, and most frcfiucntly on that 

 vahi.iMo species Acer (/(is^rarjmni. 



Early in June, a careful observer may see groups of insect's ejrgs glued to the 

 underside of the leaves of the Maple, which soon hatch ; the worms are without 

 hair, and of a pale green color, with fine white lines extending the whole length of 

 the worm, interrupted by the deep rings that mark the segments of the body; two 

 black hair like spires grow, one on either side of the head, and when fully grown, 

 the worms measure two inches in length ; they feed in company, devouring the en- 

 tire leaf, even to the naked rib and foot stalk; they feed at first on the tender leaves 

 on the end of the branches, but as they grow older proceed downwards, until all the 

 foliage on the branch is entirely consumed. They continue to feed in a family group 

 until they have attained their full size, when they separate, and become very active 

 for some days, crawling about without any apparent object, but in reality to accom- 

 plish a two- fold purpose, — first the loosening of their outer skins, which are to be 

 cast off before their final change, and secondly to find a suitable place to enter the 

 ground, where they^ are to pass their chrysalite existence. When their active 

 exertions have sufficiently loosened the outer skin to make it easy to cast it off, they 

 enter the ground, and with muscular strength, that appears Herculean when com- 

 pared with vcrtebrated animals, they make their way through the solid earth, leaving 

 in their progress their outer skins, now useless to them; then, in common with the 

 rest of their tribe, they throw out a liquid, and at the same time move their bodies 

 rapidly around, forming in the moistened earth a commodious cell, with smoothly 

 plastered walls, impervious to frost or moisture. There they lie, secure from all 

 external injury, until the following spring, when from the last week in May to the 

 middle of June, they rise from their death-like slumber, and appear in their perfect 

 forms — moths of great beauty, clothed in down of the most delicate shades of pink 

 and sulphur colors. 



Now in this attractive form, we shrink from injuring a creature so beautiful ; but 

 the syren allures only to destroy, for she is on her way, insiduously to place the 

 germs of blight on our fairest trees, and, unsuspected by her admirers, she is the 

 mother of the hateful brood of green worms, that in July and August deform the 

 Maples by their presence, and from which we shrink with disgust as they crawl 

 across our path, or drop upon us from the trees when least we expect such arro- 

 gance. 



To protect these most valued shade trees from this disgusting pest, requires less 

 care than is generally necessary when an insect tribe makes its appearance. The 

 habit of feeding in numbers together soon exposes the family of the D. ruhicunda 

 to observation, and their situation on the ends of the branches, renders it easy for 

 the gardener to take them off with a tree-pruner before they begin to wander ; but 

 after that time all care is vain, as they elude our search and disappear in the ground, 

 there to remain until they rise again in the following spring to renew their ravages. 



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