552 



NEW JERSEY AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE 



Egg-laying begins during tlic last week in July and continues for 

 nearly a niontli thereafteT as adults matuiv, for some egg clusters begin 

 to appear before the caterpillars arc pupating generally, and a few 

 larva? may yet be found in the fore part of August, when egg masses 

 are already abundant. I saw two females ovipositing September 20th. 



These egg masses are oval or rounded clusters containing from 400 

 to 500 eggs on an average, and they are covered with yellowish hair 

 from the body of the female, giving them a characteristic appearance 

 like a small piece of sponge. These masses are deposited in every 

 conceivable place — on the trees, on the ground, un4er stones, in or be- 

 tween fence rails or stone fences, and in fact wherever a female 

 emerged in a shelter large enough for a cater]3illar to crawl into. As 

 a rule the eggs remain unhatched until the next season, except that in 

 long, warm autumns a small percentage hatch; but the lai-vse so pro- 

 duced fail to come to maturity. 



N'ormally eggs hatch at any time between the end of April and the 

 middle of June, depending u|)on the amount of warmth received. 



Larval Development and Habits. 



When first hatched the caterpillars are about .14 of an inch in 

 length, pale, brownish yellow in color, with a shining, black head. As 



they grew there is some change in appear- 

 ance, and from four to seven moults or 

 stages have been observed, the females re- 

 quiring a longer period of development 

 than the males. When full groAvn the 

 caterpillar is from two to two and a half 

 inches in length; the head dull whitish, 

 mottled with brown and black; the body 

 dull grayish, varying to blue or greenish, 

 with bluish dorsal spots nearly to the mid- 

 dle and reddish spots behind that paint 

 to the anal end. From the tubercles on 

 the segmenls are tufts of long, thiii, but 

 ]iot very conspicuous hair. As the larva is 

 figured herewith, no further words of de- 

 scription would seem to be needed. 



When ready for the change to the pupa 



Fig. 15. •' ^ ^ ^ 



Caterpillar Of Gypsy Moth: full the Caterpillar is apt to waudcr from its 

 grown. From Div. Eut, ^^^^ .^^^^ Sometimes for a considerable 



L. 8. Dept. Agne. ^ ' 



