172 NORTH AMERICAN INSECTS. 
This moth was called by the late Dr. Harris, of Cam- 
bridge, Clisiocampa Americana, and belongs strictly to the 
nocturnal lepidoptera. It is often seen in large numbers, 
during the month of July, entering our rooms in the even- 
ing, flying around the light, and often being punished for 
its temerity by burning its wings and body. In the same 
month its female deposits her eggs upon a tree, gluing them 
with a gummy, Water-proof substance around the extremity 
of some branch, and leaving them, during the whole autumn 
and winter, exposed to the inclemency of rain, frost, and 
snow, without the slightest injury. 
Early in the spring, however, the caterpillars begin to is- 
sue, full of life and vitality, and immediately commence 
erecting their tents in unison with several families of the 
same species, and, if not at once destroyed, very soon sur- 
round a whole tree, and for seven or eight weeks devour its 
leaves, until all its verdure and fruit is destroyed, and its vi- 
tality—at least for the season—ruined. In this way large 
orchards of the finest apple-trees fall to decay before the 
ravages of this little caterpillar. 
In order to avoid this, and get rid of such pernicious in- 
sects, we must destroy their eggs and caterpillars. We must 
examine our apple-trees in the month of December, or after 
the foliage has fallen to the ground, and crush all the eggs 
which we find at the extremities of the branches. We must 
look again in April and May, and destroy their webs as soon 
as they are formed, and kill their caterpillars, reaching those 
upon the highest branches with a long pole, at the end of 
which should be fastened a sponge or rag moistened with 
soapsuds or whitewash. If this be turned around and 
through the web it will bring it, with the caterpillars, to 
the ground, when they can easily be killed. 
To be effectual, this operation must be done at seven or 
eight o’clock in the morning, or at noon, when all the cat- 
erpillars are in their tents; for they are very regular in 
