6 ae 
The More Important Apple Insects. 43 
colonies, at first on the lower surface of the foliage, but later on the edges 
of the leaves. If disturbed, they are likely to cease feeding and erect their 
heads’ and rear ends in a characteristic attitude, as shown in figure 81. 
Upon reaching their full growth the caterpillars leave the 
trees and enter the soil, where they pupate for the winter, 
there being but one brood each year. The mature larva 
measures about 2 inches in length. The head is black and 
the sides are striped with black and yellow lines; the 
body is more or less covered with whitish hairs. 
When this species becomes troublesome on apple, it may 
be readily controlled by spraying the trees with arsenate 
of lead at the usual strength. Occasional colonies of the 
caterpillars found in the orchard can be shaken or brushed 
from the trees and killed on the ground. 
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GIPSY MOTH.” 
The gipsy moth in its area of distribution is often quite 
injurious to the apple. The larve when young eat small 
holes in the leaves, but later consume the’ ent:re leaf with 
the exception of the larger veins. This insect is notorious 
for its injuries to shade and forest trees in the New Eng- 
land States, where large sums of money have been spent in 
restricting its further spread. It was accidentally intro- 
duced from Europe into Massachusetts about 1869. It is 
still confined to the New England States, except for an out- 
break recently found in New Jersey. The caterpillars 
attack a very large variety of plants, including various 
deciduous fruits, but, as above mentioned, are especially destructive to forest 
and shade trees. 
During the winter season the gipsy moth is in the egg stage, the eggs being 
laid in more or less flat masses, containing from 400 to 500 eggs and covered 
by hairs from the body of the female. These masses are placed frequently at 
the base of trees, under stone walls, or on wooden fences, the moth apparently 
not being particular, except to find a somewhat protected location. The cater- 
4 
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5 Ott 
Fic. 82. -Gipsy moth 
eaterpillar. 
Fic. 83.—Male gipsy moth. Fie, 84.—Foemale gipsy moth. 
pillars are hatching in the spring by the time the apple buds begin to show 
green, and as the leaves expand these are fed upon until the caterpillars com- 
plete their growth. The mature larva is about 2 inches in length, with char- 
acteristic markings on the back which consist of five pairs of blue tubercles 
followed by six pairs that are reddish in color. Between these markings is a 
thin yellow stripe, and the body is well clothed with black hairs (fig. 82). 
*S Porthetria dispar Linnaeus. 
