178 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 
ing with the caterpillars of this insect, which have issued from the one to 
20 or more nests on each of the hapless trees in the search for food. 
Though this species is easily controlled, as will be shown later, the 
‘common practice is apparently to let the caterpillars alone, trusting that 
natural agents will keep them in control. 
Extensive ravages during the past two years. Asa result of 
allowing nature to have her course after the balance between the various 
forms of life has been disturbed by man, this insect causes more or less 
damage every year, and frequently commits extensive depredations. 
The latter has been the case the last two seasons. Complaints were 
received from many localities of the abundance and destructiveness of 
these caterpillars. Not only were the native cherry-trees defoliated, but 
apple orchards suffered severely from the attacks of this insect, specially 
in the western part of the state where many were stripped of their 
leaves. Mr S. D. Willard, of Geneva, N. Y., informed me _ last 
spring that tent caterpillars had caused him an unusual amount of 
trouble, though he had kept close watch of them. In some locali- 
ties the losses were increased by the ravages of the so-called forest 
tent caterpillar, CUstocampa disstria Hiibn., which was also abundant and 
in some counties excessively injurious. The Weather crop bulletins issued 
in May and early June of last year give some indication of the wide- 
spread abundance of this insect. Such comments as: ‘ Apple-trees cov- 
ered with caterpillars,’ ‘Caterpillars more numerous than ever before,’ 
‘Caterpillars have ruined some orchards,’ ‘ Many trees nearly stripped by 
worms,’ and similar expressions from widely separated localities may all 
be referred to this -insect with comparative certainty, and indicate its 
destructiveness in neglected orchards. From Cambridge, N. Y., came 
the report last year that the place was simply overrun by the apple-tree 
tent caterpillar. In 1898 the Weather crop bulletins contained the follow- 
ing observations: ‘Tent worms hatching out thick,’ ‘Tent worms 
unusually numerous,’ ‘Tent worms very thick in places.’ The unusual 
abundance of this familiar pest was patent to anyone traveling in 1897 
and 1898, the latter part of May or early in June, either in this or some 
of the adjacent states. In many portions of Massachusetts leafless trees 
testified to the work of this enemy, and in Vermont the same conditions 
prevailed to a greater or less extent. 
Description. Though the tent caterpillar is a very common 
insect and familiar to almost everyone when found in its conspicuous 
white nests in the spring, many are unable to positively recognize the larva, 
unless seen near its nest, few can identify its egg belts, while a still smaller 
number have any idea of the appearance of the parent moth. 
