1917 



EXTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



81 



Harris, again descnbcd the insect in his ' Treatise on Insects/" published in 

 1841, and here states, that the larvaj are " common and destructive little cater- 

 ])illars wliose large webs sometimes extending over entire branches with their 

 leaves may be seen on our native elms and also on apple and other fruit trees." 



Xo further notice was taken of the insect until 185G, when Fitch' reported 

 it as "quite common around New York and Brooklyn," but he continues, "I 

 have no knowledge of its occurrence north or west of the highlands." In the 

 -aniefvear, Samuel Fowler" reported its ravages in Massachusetts, and in the 



GiKral OuXbreak 



Local /fonpfes 



Eastern Tfcgion 



l/cry 5c. 



mo neo ma lauo lejo 



■0 leio 



mso 16*0 /eso laui laro 



mto 1900 1910 mo 



Central fkgion. 



Generti/ OutdrcuA 



Lcca/ T^Qva^es 



Very Scarce 



1770 1780 mo leoo '810 /6Z0 IBX iBfC IBiO iBtO IBTO /890 tlKl I90O 



Wester/i Ifeg/on 



Genera/ Outbreak 



Very Scarce 



History of the Fall Webworm in North America. The dotted lines indicate 

 the abundance of the insect. 



Counlnj Gentleman, Oct. 14th, 1858, p. 239, Fitch stated that it was " very abundant 

 in Xew York State three or four times worse than for twenty-five years at least.'' 



This was the first serious outbreak on record, and from the foregoing account 

 it seems that the ravages of the insect have been increasing in severity, and 

 that its sphere of destructive operations has widened. The next outbreak was 

 much more widespread than any previously recorded, and extended north into 

 Canada. It was first reported by Brackett. in the Maine Farmer, of Aug. 30th, 

 ISCi!. The following year, Bethune states (Canada Farmer, Sept. 1st, 1867, p. 269) 

 that a few colonies were reported from Hastings County, Ontario, and says that 

 it is the first record for the insect in Canada, so far as known to him. He again 



•1856. Fitch Asa., 3rd, Rep. Ins. N.Y., pp. 64-66. 



•-1856. Fowler, Samuel, 4th Ann. Rep. Sec. Mass., Bd. Agr., pp. 438-451. 

 6 I'.s. 



