B. C. EXTO.MOLOGICAL PROCEEDINGS, I'.Ul. 19 



The moth is buff color, or dull brownish red, with two transverse 

 whitish, or pale yellowish, lines on the fore win^^s. This is the distin- 

 guishing mark from that of the forest Tent Caterpillar, which belongs 

 to the same family and is closely allied. 



The "CUsiocampa" jMoth appears early in summer and lays its eggs 

 upon the tender shoots and fruit-spurs of the year's growth. The eggs 

 are laid in a ring-like cluster, about the twig, and are glued together 

 by a substance which is practically impervious to our most caustic sprays. 

 The eggs hatch out early in spring, just at the time when the tender 

 leaves are available for the food of the young caterpillars. Soon after 

 hatching they begin to form a tent in the nearest fork. Here they live 

 in company, moving out from time to time to feed. It is not uncommon 

 to see all the foliage destroyed in the vicinity of these nests. Any 

 season when they are very plentiful an entire orchard may be defoliated. 

 This has happened at several points on the Lower Mainland and on 

 Vancouver Island during the past summer. 



Fortunately we have a remedy whereby these leaf-eaters may be 

 speedily destroyed. Arsenate of Lead, in the proportion of three pounds 

 to a barrel of water, if carefully sprayed on the foliage before any 

 serious injury has been done, will speedily destroy them. The Arsenate 

 of Lead is preferable to any other Arsenical sprays, because of its 

 adhesive qualities. 



The caterpillars must feed on the foliage. It is their only food, and 

 if the material has been properly prepared and applied, they must inevi- 

 tably perish. 



I would recommend that a close watch be kept on the trees during 

 the pruning season, and the egg clusters destroyed. This is the most 

 economical method of dealing with the infection. 



After the caterpillars have obtained their full growth, they abandon 

 the nest and crawl to some convenient shelter in the vicinity. They 

 often seek the eaves of houses and sometimes fences, and weave a rather 

 thin cocoon of jellowish texture, this tinge being caused by a fine powder 

 of the color of sulphur. In these cocoons transformation occurs, the 

 pupal state lasting about three weeks. 



After the moth emerges, she seeks the most desirable position for 

 laying her eggs, and she seems to be endowed with sufficient intelligence 

 to place the egg masses where the young may find proper food after 

 hatching. 



This completes the life cycle of this insect. Fortunately it is subject 

 to a fungous disease which carries them off very speedily. It is not 

 uncommon to see thousands of them dead on a bush or tree. They are 

 subject also to a parasitical attack, to a slight degree. Entomologists will 

 often notice small white, globular eggs on the heads of the caterpillars. 



