l66 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



that of tlic brown tail moth. Morc^over, it is never firmly attached to the 

 twigs by bands of silk as is the case with this species [pi. 44, tij^r. -| 



Natural enemies. A number of parasites have been bred from the 

 ])Lipae in this country. Professor l-'ernald records the rearing of Phaeo- 

 genes he be Cress., Diglochis omnivora Walk., !•! u ]) h o r o c e r a 

 cl a r i p e n n i s Macq. and a large number of unnamed dipterous parasites. 

 He states that the work of Diglochis is specially valuable and worthy of 

 commendation, lie also records the destruction of the caterpillars bv a 

 soldier bug, Podisus serieventris U hi. and states that the Baltimore 

 oriole, black-billed cuckoo, crow, bluebird and English sparrow have also 

 been observt'd feeding on these insects, and quotes Mr Kirkland to the 

 effect that the; birds eat not only the moths, but their young, adding that it 

 was no uncommon sight at .Somerville to see flocks of 20 or more sparrows 

 collect the moths from a ])icket fence. In addition to the above mentioned 

 birds, Mr E. H. P'orbush has recorded the robin, bluejay, black and white 

 warbler, the rose-breasted grosbeak, the chestnut-sided warbler, the scarlet 

 tanager, redstart, chickadees, red-eyed vireo, the yellow-throated vireo and 

 the male indigo bird as feeding on the caterpillars. The records given by 

 Mr P'orbush include the number of larvae eaten by each bird and the time 

 occupied. None ate less than 9, and one as many as 57 caterpillars, the 

 latter operation occupying 20 minutes. These observations show that our 

 native liirds will undoubtedly prove very efficient aids in checking this 

 pest. Professor Eernald has also recorded bats as feeding on the moths 

 at night, and he states thai loads devour the caterpillars during the early 

 summer and th(' moths later in the season. 



Remedial measures. 1 he cons|)icuous hiljernating nests are easily 

 detected, particularly in early spring, antl can then he cut off and burned. 

 The species is also ver\' amenable to spra\'ing with arsenical j)oisons. 



Bibliography 



1902 Felt, E. P. Stale i;iu. iSth Rtp'i. .\. V. State Mus. Bui. 64, p. 94-99 



1903 Fernald, C. H. & Kirkland, A. H. 'llie Hrown Tail Moth. .Mass. State Bd 



-Agric. p. 1-73 



