436 THE OAK-TREE CATERPILLAR. 



them. Neither do they have any mode of commu- 

 nicating information to their companions in regard 

 to food. One hungry worm after another examines 

 the end of every twig upon a limb unsuccessfully for 

 food ; and, returning, they meet others going out 

 upon the same errand. They take daily three 

 meals, — one in the morning, another in the after- 

 noon, and a third at night. Each worm will con- 

 sume about two leaves per diem ; and as each nest 

 contains about three hundred individuals, they will 

 destroy at least six hundred leaves daily. In the 

 early part of June they separate, and select some 

 retreat where they spin their cocoons. They repose 

 about three weeks in the pupa state ; and early in 

 July they pair and deposit their eggs. At this time 

 they are the dingy, dusty moths which flutter about 

 the lights in the evenings. If these insects are un- 

 molested, they will often entirely strip the tree of 

 foliage. 



The best method of preventing their ravages is to 

 take the nests from the trees with the hands, imme- 

 diately after their appearance, and to stamp them so 

 as to crush the young. If they are merely thrown 

 upon the ground, they will soon crawl up again, 

 and resume their attacks upon the same, or another 

 tree (Fitch). 



(3) The Oak-tree Caterpillar — Clisiocampa sylva- 

 tica. This caterpillar attacks the apple and the 

 oak. It not only cats the leaves of the former, but 



