The Processionary : the Moth 



will say nothing of the little that was imper- 

 fectly seen. 



Let us close with a few words of sylvi- 

 cultural practice. The Pine Processionary is 

 a voracious caterpillar who, while respecting 

 the terminal bud, protected by its scales and 

 its resinous varnish, completely denudes the 

 bough and imperils the tree by leaving it bald. 

 The green pine-needles, that mane in which 

 the vegetable vigour of the tree resides, are 

 shorn to the roots. How are we to remedy 

 this? 



When consulted on the subject, the forest- 

 ranger of my parish told me that the custom 

 is to go from tree to tree with pruning-shears 

 fitted on a long pole and to cut down the nests, 

 afterwards burning them. The method is a 

 troublesome one, for the silken purses are 

 often at considerable heights. Moreover, it 

 is not without danger. Attacked by the hairy 

 dust, the destroyers soon experience intolera- 

 ble discomfort, a torture of irritation which 

 makes them refuse to continue the work. To 

 my thinking it would be better to operate 

 before the appearance of the nests. 



The Pine Bombyx is a very bad flyer. In- 

 capable of soaring, almost like the Silk-moth, 



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