408 



INJURIOUS AND BENEFICIAL INSECTS OF CALIFORNIA. 



cultivating close to the trees in the fall and winter will kill many of 

 the hibernating forms. 



Natural Enemies. — E. J. Vosler lias reared the internal hymenopter- 

 ous parasites, Apanteles sp. and Limnerium sp. from the larvce. 293 



THE CALIFORNIA TUSSOCK MOTH 2 ' 4 

 Hernerocampa vetusta (Boisduval) (Family Liparidse) 



( Figs. 412-414) 



Description. — The eggs are small, oval, while and are laid in closely 

 matted (dusters, usually upon the old female cocoons. The clusters or 



egg- masses are nearly 

 spherical, grayish-brown 

 in color and between } and 

 g inch in diameter. The 

 full-grown larvae or cater- 

 pillars vary from H to 2 

 inches in length. They 

 are generally gray in color 

 with numerous colored 

 spots and many tufts, con- 

 sisting of four prominent 

 white ones on the dorsum 

 and two distinct black 

 tufts or horns on Ihe head 

 and one near the posterior 

 end. The adult females 

 an 1 wingless and light 

 silvery-gray in color. The 

 males are winged and gray 

 in color. 



Life History. — The eggs 



are d e posit e d by the 

 freshly emerged females 

 during the months of May, 

 •lime and July. The cater- 

 pillars upon hatching be- 

 gin to feed upon the young 

 fruit and foliage ami eon- 

 linue their depredations 

 for from forty to sixty 

 days, when they spin their 

 cocoons singly or in large 

 colonies. The moths 

 emerge the same year, 

 The winter is passed in 



Fig-. 412. — Larvae of the California tussock moth, 

 Hernerocampa vetusta (Boisd.). Natural size. 

 (Original) 



mate, and the females begin egg-laying 



the egg stage. 



Nature of Work. — The caterpillars feed upon the foliage and young 

 fruit, eating entire leaves or portions thereof and irregular holes into 

 the fruit. 



2S! Mo. Uul. Cal. Ildii. ('.mi.. Vol. Ill, p. 657, 1913. 

 v.'i.k. W. II.. Bui. N.i. 183, Cal. Agrcl. Exp. Sta., 1907. 



