22 DANGER OF SPREAD OF GIPSY AND BROWN-TAIL MOTHS. — 
Damage to Plants. 
As just indicated, the damage to trees and shrubs may be very severe. The list of 
food plants is very extensive. While there seemed at first to be a preference for pear 
and apple, the larve were found to feed also upon the stone fruits, as well as upon the 
elm, maple, and several species of oak. Of late years there has been a very extensive 
infestation of scrub oak and of the larger trees of the genus Quercus. In fact, the cater- 
pillars feed generally upon all deciduous trees, on many shrubs, and even upon herb- 
age. A list of over 80 different food plants was published by Fernald and Kirkland in 
1903. Thousands of fruit trees in the vicinity of Boston have been killed by this in- 
sect. Injury to woodlands and forests has not been as severe as that accomplished by 
the gipsy moth, and coniferous trees do not seem to be attacked, but the damage to oak, 
maple, and elm in the wooded region has been sufficient to cause the forests to appear 
brown in June in places, and complete defoliation for a series of three or four years has 
brought about the death of many trees. Even where the tree survives, its growth has 
been checked, and there is a timber loss. j 
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