INSECT PESTS OF OHIO SHADE AND FOREST TREES 245 



Nature of feeding. — The larvae are foliage destroyers, for the 

 most part feeding singly except, of course, in severe outbreaks when 

 several may be found feeding upon the same leaf. Because of this 

 scattered feeding habit, the damage done is not nearly so noticeable 

 as it would be if concentrated upon one or a few branches. 



Food plants. — While occurring in greatest abundance on oaks, 

 this insect may justly be termed a general feeder. The 

 writer has observed it upon the following list of hosts : Quercus 

 alba, Q. prionus, Q. velutina, sourwood, ironwood, hazelnut, poison 

 sumac, Juneberry, wild plum, judas tree, Ulmus fulva, sugar maple, 

 Hicoria ovata, beech and black locust. In addition Doctor Felt 

 reports it upon poplar, willow and alder. 



Distribution. — In Ohio this insect is generally distributed, 

 though most abundant in the southern section. According to other 

 records, it is widely distributed through the United States and has 

 been reported from Canada. As the writer has observed it thus 

 far, it is largely a woodland species, and he has never noted it in 

 abundance on street or lawn trees. 



Control. — Obviously its present degree of abundance as a wood- 

 land pest does not warrant the application of artificial remedial 

 measures. However, since it is a normal, leaf-eating species, in all 

 probability arsenate of lead at the usual strength would control it 

 should the necessity arise. 



THE PALE TUSSOCK CATERPILLAR 



(Halisidota tcsseUaris iiubn.) 



Description.— The pale tussock moth is almost as abundant as 

 the preceding insect and has many points of resemblance in common 

 with it. In size the larva is almost the same, 11/4 inches in length, 

 but the greatest difference is in color. The head is brown and the 

 ground color of the body is grayish-brown with a variable sprink- 

 ling of black. Occasionally the black predominates, giving the 

 insect a decidedly dark appearance. The body is clothed with num- 

 erous compact tussocks of hairs ranging in color from white to buff. 

 Projecting upward from each of the second and third thoracic seg- 

 ments is a pair of bright tan pencils about three times as long as 

 the hairs of the tussocks on the side of the body, and just beneath 

 each of the four tan pencils is a somewhat shorter white pencil. 

 From the eighth abdominal segment projects a very delicate brown 

 pair of pencils, somewhat shorter than the tan pencils. All the legs 

 are light brown. (See Plate XXXVI, Fig. 2.) 



Life history and habits. — The caterpillars are prevalent during 

 September and October. They are isolated feeders and are found 

 on all parts of the host. 



