COMMON APPLE-TREE CATERPILLAR. 435 



year, wMle in seasons of abundance we can afford 

 to lose a portion. The eggs are placed in a cluster, 

 forming a ring about the twig of three-quarters of 

 an inch in length. In one of these belts is at least 

 three hundred eggs — the product of one female. 

 They are deposited early in July, and remain until 

 the latter part of the next April or first of May, 

 when they begin to hatch. The young larvae at 

 first feed upon the glutinous matter which sur- 

 rounds and covers the eggs ; but when they have 

 gained sufficient strength, they begin to forage upon 

 the leaves. Each one, as he travels, spins a thread, 

 attaches it to the bark, which secures his foothold. 

 When he arrives at a fork in the limbs, he com- 

 mences the dwelling by spinning threads in every 

 direction. These caterpillars, having eaten suffi- 

 cient, repose upon the outer surface of their netting. 

 When others return, they spin another net over 

 these, and walk over those which are asleep. Thus 

 a nest consists of several of these nets, one over the 

 other, with space enough between them to allow the 

 passage of the insect. 



When they first come forth from the egg they 

 are not more than one-tenth of an inch in length. 

 But they throw off their skins five or six times, and 

 at each change become larger. They seem to be 

 destitute of sense to guide them toward their food. 

 They will sometimes pass, and almost touch fresh 

 leaves, when they are half starved, without noticing 



