162 



CIVIC BIOLOGY 



COMPARISON OF GYPSY AND BROWN-TAIL MOTHS 



GYPSY MOTH 



Eggs. August to May. On the 

 trunks and branches and every- 

 where, especially on undersides 

 and inner surfaces of objects. 



Masses. Light brown, long, broad, 

 about the size of a silver quarter. 

 300-1400 eggs. 



Caterpillar. May to August. On 

 underside of leaves. Night feed- 

 ers. Cluster in shelter during 

 the day. 



Winter form. Egg. 



Full-grown. Two and one-half to 

 three inches long. Rows of con- 

 spicuous spots on the back 

 blue near the head, red on posterior 

 part of the body. Hairy tufts 

 on the sides. 



Pupa. Late July. Found in some 

 places as egg masses. Dark 

 brown female larger than the 

 male. 



Moth. Female, white with brown 

 markings. Spread of wing, from 

 two to three inches. Never goes 

 far from pupa case. Male smaller, 

 brown. 



BROWN-TAIL MOTH 



Eggs. July. Seldom on trunk or 

 branch. Generally on underside 

 of leaf. 



Masses. Smaller than the gypsy, 

 more elongated, brighter, red- 

 dish brown color. About 300 

 eggs. 



Caterpillar. Hatched in August. 

 On upper side of leaves in clus- 

 ters. Day feeders. 



Winter form. Caterpillar in nest. 

 Nest four to six inches long, 

 composed of leaves and silk, 

 contains about 250 caterpillars. 

 Emerge in April, attack bud, 

 blossom, and foliage of fruit 

 trees, and then move to others. 



Full-grown. One and one-half to 

 two inches long. Broken white 

 stripe on each side of back, two 

 red spots near posterior end. 

 Hairy tufts on the sides. 



Pupa. Late June. Five eighths of 

 an inch long. Dark brown, with 

 yellowish hairs. 



Moth. Pure white. Female slightly 

 larger, with conspicuous bunch 

 of brown hairs at tip of abdo- 

 men. Spread of wing, one and 

 one-half inches. Night flyer, 

 attracted by light. 



