Pomona ("(>i.i,K(!K Joirnai. ok Kntomoi/kiy s47 



AN ATTKMI'T TO (O.NTUOL AN olTUKKAK OK A WKI,!, KNOWN 



I'KST* 



TtKOKCK \V. \T\V<HII> 

 AI.HANV, NKW YORK 



Atti-iition \v;is callid to tin- pn-sj-ncc of a Irw fiitiTpillars of tin- Ki|>\v 

 moth late this season, just at the time wlicn tht-y were crawiiiijf aii<l Ix-fon- 

 |)ii|)atinfr. An cxaiiiiiiatidn of tlif premises was iinmediately made in the 

 resiih-nee secti<in where tlie (Uitl)reak oeeurred. The area involved was aluiut 

 •JiMt l)y ;{()() feet. Caterpillars were found on the trunks of old apple trees, on 

 fences and in sIxmIs and eliieken coops to the numlii-r of aliout 1,011(1. The hack 

 yard fences, chicken coops, brush and all litter were gathered and hurned. 

 The infested trees were allowed to stand until pupation cea.sed. Then they 

 were cut to the ground, sawed into short lenjfths saturated with kerosene and 

 Iturned. .Man.v of the trees were hollow and within were found moths and 

 pupa- of last year and cpiite large innnhers of fresh pupa-. The l(M-ation was 

 in the hack .varil section of residences in tin- midst of much disorder. The 

 apple trees were old <,nes, .some ol them live to seven feet in ciri-umfereni-e. 

 I''-H:g ma.sses were fo\ind in every coneeivahle plaet' — under old pieces of carpet, 

 under hoards lying on the ground, in the cornices of sonn- of the residenci>ii 

 and elsewhere. At the Hrst di.scover.v, all trees, including the street frees 

 within a radius of (idO to iS(M) feet, were liurla]>ped with hurlap about eight to 

 ten inches wide, folded and tied tightly about the trunks. These were exam- 

 ined carefully during the period that the caterpillars were moving, and daily 

 some caterpillars were found, but only close to the center of infestation. About 

 forty large trees were burned, as were also twenty-five cords of stove w(M)d 

 in which the insect had taken refuge, (iardens, fences and lawns, in addition 

 to kindling wood, were <lestriiyed and the loss to the owners of the property 

 from the shade of the large trees wa.s considerable; the intention wa.s to 

 completely eradicate the colon.v. Indications are that perhaps not more than 

 a single mas.s of eggs started the infestation about three sionmers previous. 

 ('I<;se attention was given to ever.v eone<-ivable detail and it nuiy be interesting 

 III know that some of the residents in the houses had recently moved to other 

 parts. I'ropert.v taken from the yards of the infested area was hMjked up 



and in one ea.se a boy's sled was found under which were two or thr 'gg 



mas.ses. 



This otitlircak will be kept very cliscly under the care of compi-tent 

 inspceti rs and as .soon as the frost ilestroys vegetation thorough si"o\iting will 

 be resorted to in the search for egg ma.s.ses of the gip.s.v moth. It would seem 

 almost too much to hope that the last insect lia.s been found and destn)yed but 

 it is believed that the work was done so thoroughly that success has attended 

 the etTort.s. 



•In spito (if ihc enormoii.s sums whicli have lu-cn cxpcntlcd .iml .1 

 provuled to keep it in check, the Ripsy moth ttocs on extending its terrltor> 



