256 . OHIO EXPERIMENT STATION: BULLETIN 332 



Natural enemies. — Undoubtedly natural agencies do much by 

 way of holding this species in check, but few have been determined 

 definitely. Lounsbury (24) reports a small Ichneumon but does 

 not determine it. Dr. Edith M. Patch (25) reports Limneria 

 guiguardi Prov. 



Control. — If the attack is slight, involving only a few small 

 trees or a few colonies of the pests, hand collecting and destroying 

 the clusters of feeding larvae is feasible. For more extensive 

 operations arsenical spraying is most practicable. 



THE POPLAR LEAF-TYER 



(Melalopha inclusa Hubn.) 



The poplar leaf-tyer is also known by the common name of 

 poplar tent-maker, but the writer prefers the first used since it 

 more perfectly describes the characteristic retreat of the species. 



Description. — The poplar leaf-tyer is best known in the larval 

 stage. The mature larva is of stocky build and measures about 

 114 inches in length. The general body color is yellowish brown. 

 On the back of the first thoracic segment are two black, almost 

 contiguous spots, and on the first and eighth abdominal segments 

 are two distinctly-raised black warts. The head and true legs are 

 black as are also three lines extending lengthwise of the back. 

 On the sides of the body are three broader black lines, and the 

 broadest of these is peculiarly marked by numerous irregular curved 

 figures composed of very fine lines. (See Plate XXXVIII, Fig. 4.) 

 The pupa is thick and not quite three-fourths of an inch long. It 

 is formed in a loose web cocoon spun in a folded leaf of the host. 



The moth measures a little more than an inch across its ex- 

 panded wings and is light gray in color. The hind wings are 

 sparsely sprinkled with dark brown scales. The egg is hemispheri- 

 cal and pure white when first laid, later becoming red. 



One of the most pronounced characteristics of this species is 

 the peculiar retreat of leaves bound together and lightly lined with 

 silk in which the larvae rest when not feeding. A characteristic 

 specimen is shown in Plate XXXIX, Fig. 1. Sometimes but a few 

 caterpillars will be found in one of these nests while on the other 

 hand the writer has counted as many as thirty-six. The larvae lie 

 with bodies parallel. 



When the nest is a large one, the weight of the caterpillars, 

 together with the large quantity of frass which the nest sometimes 

 contains, droops the twig badly. The old nests hang on over winter 

 and, when occurring in areas infested by brown-tail moths, are fre- 

 quently mistaken during the winter for this much-dreaded species. 



