1916 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 153 



The Gipsy Moth is a very serious shade tree and forest insect of the transition 

 zone. It would undoubtedly flourish were opportunity afforded in the transition 

 zone of Canada, excluding again that part of it falling in the treeless region of the 

 middle west. 



The behaviour of this insect in the boreal life zone cannot be forecasted. In 

 this zone Mr, F. H. Mosher has shown that the insect would have an abundant food 

 supply. It is also known that the insect hibernates successfully in boreal parts of 

 Northern Maine. These two straws seem to show the direction in which the wind 

 is blowing; they seem to show that there is a very grave danger menacing over 

 immense boreal forests from attacks by this insect. 



It is primarily to affect this seeming danger that the parasites and predators 

 are being introduced. 



They are being hibernated at strategic points, that is at points in Canada 

 nearest to the infested area in New England and nearest to international trade 

 routes. One of these points is near the international boundary in southern Quebec; 

 another is in New Brunswick, and a third in Nova Scotia. 



During the last four years large numbers of these beneficial insects have been 

 introduced at these places. One of these species, Apanteles lacteicolor, is doing 

 well in its new environment; another, Compsilura concinnaia, is expected to be 

 doing well, the third, Calosoma sycophanta, is known to be at least holding its own. 



These same insects in New England are now helping materially and per- 

 ceptably to relieve the situation. 



It is hoped that by the time the Gipsy Moth reaches the Dominion there will 

 have developed a living wall of its natural enemies strong enough to prevent 

 disastrous results. - 



THE WOEK CAEEIED ON IN THE UNITED STATES AGAINST THE 

 GIPSY AND BEOWN-TAIL MOTHS. 



A. F. Burgess, in Charge of Moth Work, Bureau of Entomology, 

 United States Department of Agriculture. 



The Gipsy Moth and Brown-tail Moth work in New England, as most of you 

 know, is carried on in each State concerned by State and local agencies. Work to 

 prevent the spread of these moths outside the territory where they now exist is 

 maintained by the United States Department of Agriculture through the Bureau 

 of Entomology. All of the work is of importance, as upon its thoroughness 

 depends the chances of these insects spreading rapidly to the Dominion of Canada. 

 The Brown-Tail Moth flies strongly and is attracted to lights and has already 

 become established in districts in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. The Gipsy 

 Moth does not spread in the adult stage, but the small caterpillars may be carried 

 long distances by the wind. Greater spread of this insect is shown toward the 

 north and north-west. This is jlue principally to the fact that the prevailing warm 

 winds during the time the small caterpillars are active blow from the south and 

 south-east. A large number of men are employed in the outside part of the 

 territory to scout the area for the purpose of determining how far the gipsy moth 

 has spread and to trea^ carefully the infestations in the outside towns. This work 

 consists, aside from scouting and creosoting of egg clusters in the winter, of thin- 

 ning out infested areas where trees are growing too closely, or where the stand is 

 11 E.S. 



