PINE MOTH. 299 



d. Protective Rules. 



1. Avoidance, as much as possible, of pure Scots pine 

 forests in localities exposed to the attacks of this insect. 



2. Careful search for caterpillars, chiefly in November, 

 when they are hibernating. The soil-covering round large 

 trees is raked up and searched, and if 6 to 8 caterpillars 

 are found around a tree, measures should be taken at once to 

 destroy the caterpillars. 



3. Careful management of thinnings. This removes sickly 

 trees, admits the wind, which the moths dislike, and facilitates 

 collection of the caterpillars. 



Vi 



Fig. 150. Caterpillar of the Pine Moth covered with Microgaster cocoons. 



4. Protection of enemies : bats, badgers, cuckoos, owls, 

 goat-suckers, etc. Titmice, golden-crested wrens, and tree- 

 creepers destroy the moths' eggs. A number of ichneumon- 

 wasps and parasitic diptera attack the larvae. Fig. 150 shows 

 a caterpillar covered by the pupae of Microgaster ylobatus, L. 



e. Remedial Measures. 



These are, briefly : The excavation of trenches in the ground 

 to catch the caterpillars. Trenches are made for the purpose 

 of either isolating attacked areas, or to catch caterpillars 

 within the infested wood. 



Collection of eggs, by scraping them from the trees ; but 

 this method also destroys many ichneumons. 



