132 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



to these, the writer has reared examples of the red-tailed tachina fly, W i n- 

 t h e m i a 4-p u s t u 1 a t a Fabr., a species which has frequently rendered most 

 valuable aid in controlling the army worm, Heliophila unipuncta 

 Haw. 



Remedies. Parasites and native birds will keep this species under con- 

 trol in most cases. The outbreak chronicled in the preceding pages is out 

 of the usual order and may not occur again for years. In such event, 

 spraying the infested trees with one of the arsenical poisons is our best 

 remedial measure. If the application is made before the caterpillars are 

 more than half growm, serious injury to the trees may be averted. Many 

 of the descending caterpillars can be killed by inclosing the trunks of the 

 infested trees with a low overhanging barricade and then treating the 

 collected larvae with hot water, kerosene emulsion or other contact insecti- 

 cide wherever spraying is impracticable. Small trees can be protected by 

 jarring the caterpillars from them, and if sticky bands are placed around 

 the trunk and properly guarded no larvae can ascend to continue their 

 destructive work. 



Bibliography 

 1896 Slingerland, M. V. Cornell Uniy. Agric. Exp. Sta. Bill. 123, p. 509-22 

 189S Felt, E. P. State Ent. 14th Rep't X. Y. State Mus.. Biil. 23, p. 207-12 



W^hite marked tussock moth 

 Hemei'ocampa Icucostigimi Abb. and Sm. 



Red headed, yellow and black tufted caterpillars may frequently be observed in 

 early summer defoliating horse-chestnut, linden, maple, elm and other trees. 



This insect appears to thrive best in cities and villages and some 

 seasons proves a veritable scourge in certain localities. In Albany and 

 Troy, the horse-chestnuts are usually partly defoliated each spring and 

 occasionally stripped of all their leaves by the voracious caterpillars of this 

 moth. The lindens frequently suffer nearly as much, and the maples and 

 elms come in for a goodly share of attention from year to year. The above 

 is probably true to a great e.xtent of most of the cities and larger villages 

 in the State. The summer of 1898 was marked by the abundant presence 



