386 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



of our apple tent caterpillar, Malacosoma americana Fabr., 

 since those of the latter are in the fork of the branches, while the 

 tents of the brown tail m6th are at the tips of the branches and 

 securely attached thereto by broad bands of silk. The apple tent 

 caterpillar rarely attacks pear, while this food plant is a favorite 

 with the brown tail caterpillars. The web nests or tents of the fall 

 web worm, Hyphantria textor Harris, occur on the trees at 

 the same time as those of the brown tail moth, but they are of an 

 entirely different character, inclosing as they do all of the leaves on 

 the tips of one or more branches and never being firmly attached to 

 the twig. The caterpillar of the brown tail moth ranges from i to i^ 

 inches in length. The pale brown head is mottled with dark brown 

 and has reddish brown hairs scattered over its surface. The body is 

 dark brown or black with numerous fine, dull orange or greenish 

 spots over the surface, which are most pronounced on the second, 

 third and fourth segments. Long, reddish brown, finely barbed 

 hairs arise from all the tubercles and white branching hairs from the 

 upper side of the lateral tubercles on segments 4-12 inclusive. These 

 white hairs form elongated, white spots along each side and are one 

 of the most striking characteristics of this caterpillar. The sub- 

 dorsal and lateral tubercles on segments 4-12 inclusive, are covered 

 with fine, short spines of uniform length. There is a bright red, 

 retractile tubercle on top of the loth and also one on the nth seg- 

 ment. The moths have a wing spread of about i^ inches, are pure 

 white with a satiny luster on the fore wings and a conspicuous reddish 

 brown tuft at the tip of the abdomen. Sometimes there are a few 

 black spots on the fore wings. The antennae are white and fringed 

 with pale yellowish hairs. This species has been treated at some 

 length and illustrated in its various stages in the iSth Report of the 

 State Entomologist, pages 94-99. 



Remedies. It is impossible to exterminate this species, but it 

 may be kept in check by cutting off and burning the hibernating 

 nests in winter, at which time they are readily detected. The 

 species is also amenable to spraying with an arsenical poison, and 

 on account of the severe irritation resulting from the hairs blown 

 from cocoons, it is by all means advisable to prevent this insect from 

 becoming abundant. 



Experiments in controlling the San Jose scale 



Aspidiotus perniciosus Comst. 

 The field experiments begun by this office in 1900, were continued 

 in part during the season of 1904 and data secured which has greatly 

 increased our belief in the efficacy of lime-sulfur washes for the 



