13 



species has spread by being carried in the moth condition on railway 

 trains and on vessels. Captains of vessels have reported that the 

 moths have alighted upon their ships in great numbers in the vicinity 

 of Boston along toward midnight on several occasions,. and the intro- 

 duction of the species at more than one seaport in Maine has been by 

 means of vessels coming from the infested district rather than by 

 direct flight. Of course the brown-tail moth is carried in the cater- 

 pillar stage iust as is the gipsy moth, upon vehicles of different kinds 

 passing thru the infested region and upon the persons of pedestrians as 

 well. In late May, 1906, the writer, in company with three other per- 

 sons, walked thru the woods in a region not far from Boston, and altho 

 the most careful efforts were made 

 by each of us to pick the caterpil- 

 lars from the clothes of the others, 

 an hour or two afterwards and 

 many miles away by automobile 

 still others were found under the 

 upturned trousers and lapels of coats 

 and in other hidden places about 

 garments. 



The eggs are laid by the moths 

 soon after the flight begins, say in 

 the latter part of July. They hatch 

 during August and the young larvae 

 feed in clusters on the upper sur- 

 face of leaves, skeletonizing them 

 and causing the foliage to turn 

 brown as if blighted. At first the}^ 

 feed upon the leaf which bears the 

 egg mass, but soon wander to others, 

 returning at night to the original 



leaf. When first hatched they are about one-twelfth of an inch long, 

 and in five to six days shed their skin, increasing in length to one- 

 fifth of an inch. 



Later the second molt occurs, altho this sometimes does not take 

 place until autumn within the winter web. Along in September the}" 

 begin to spin their winter webs by drawing together a number of 

 leaves with silk, and in each of these nests a large number of caterpil- 

 lars stow themselves away for the winter. These webs or nests, com- 

 posed of leaves and silk, will average from 5 to 6 inches in length, and 

 each will contain 200 or more caterpillars. The caterpillars feed until 

 cold weather, and then all enter the web and close the exit holes. They 

 are then about one-fourth grown. 



264 



Fig. 5. — Web of the browii-tail moth. 

 Kirkland.) 



(After 



