STORIES OF INSECT LIFE. 



THE TENT CATERPILLARS AND THEIR NESTS. 



Of course every child who has taken a walk in the country 



in spring has seen the caterpillars' nests in 



the apple and wild cherry trees. No doubt 



you tliought they were not very pretty, 



and perhaps you shuddered when thinking of the 



" horrid worms " you knew were in them. 



But if you could sit on a big apple limb some 



day and watch one of the nests close at hand, I 



think you would find much to interest you. In 



the morning, some time after sunrise, you would 



^ see the " horrid worms " come out of the doors of 



the tent and march along — mostly in Indian file 



— in search of breakfast. When they come to a 



fork in the branch some will go to tlie right and 



some to the left, but each will finally stop when it 



finds a leaf to its liking. It will then feed upon the 



leaf, biting it on the edges with its good-sized jaws, 



and often leaving only the midrib to show that a 



leaf was there. 



After breakfasting an hour or two, most of the caterpillars 

 are likely to mai'ch back to the tent and crawl in through the 

 half-closed doors, where they range themselves side by side, 

 much as sardines are packed in a box. By thus seeking shelter 



1 



Fig. 1. 



Caterpillar's 



Nest. 



