CHAPTER NINE 



PESTIFEROUS MILLERS, TENT CATERPILLARS, ARMY WORMS, 



DISREPUTABLE CUT-WORMS AND THE END OF 



THE MOTH TALKS 



TENT MILLERS 



The tent caterpillar, which forms a large cob- 

 web-like nest on the wild cherry and the haw bushes 

 in latter part of April, through May, in June and 

 July, often spreads from these trees to the orchards, 

 where it is very destructive. I have seen large 

 trees in Connecticut completely denuded of foliage 

 and every branch enveloped in a sheath of cob- 

 w^eb-like silk (Fig. 129). Not only were the 

 branches enveloped, but there were paths running 

 doM'U the trunks of trees out to the grass and 

 underbrush, silken roadways of cobweb material. 



The truth is, these caterpillars do not seem to 

 be able to find their way by the stars or the sun, 

 and as they carry no compass they have invented 

 a way of their own for marking the trail. From 

 their mouth they spin out a thread of silk as they 

 creep along; when they want to retrace their steps 

 it is only necessary for them to follow back the 



132 



