558 INSECT PESTS OF FARM, GARDEN AND ORCHARD 



The Brown-tail Moth * 



Although the Brown-tail Moth has become injurious only in 

 Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine, it will be surprising 

 if it does not become generally distributed, for during the past 

 three years its nests have been imported on pear seedlings 

 from France by nurseries in all parts of the United States 

 and southern Canada, and possibly some have escaped even the 

 most vigilant inspectors. It has long been a serious pest in 



parts of central and western Europe, 

 whence it was introduced into 

 Massachusetts about 1890, but did 

 not attract attention until 1897. 

 The female moth is pure white 

 except the tip of the abdomen, 

 which is golden brown and forms 

 a large tuft or brush, which gives 

 the insect its name. The wings 

 of the female expand H inches, 

 the males being slightly smaller, 

 and bear one or two streaks of 

 brown on the under sides. The 

 full-grown caterpillar is 1^ inches 

 long, dark brown, marked with a 

 white dash on the side of each 

 segment. The body is dark brown 

 or blackish, w r ell marked with 

 patches of orange and covered with 

 numerous tubercles bearing long 

 barbed hairs. On the centre of the fifth and sixth abdominal 

 segments are small retractile red tubercles. The tubercles 

 along the back and sides are thickly covered with short brown 

 hairs which give them a velvety appearance. These micro- 

 scopic hairs are barbed and are the nettling hairs which, when 



* Euproctis chryscrrhoea Linn. Family Liparidoe. See L. O. Howard, 

 Farmers' Bulletin 264, U. S. Dept. Agr.; E. D. Sanderson, Bulletin 136, N. H. 

 Agr. Exp. Sta. 



FIG. 407. Winter web of the 

 brown-tail moth one-half 

 natural size. 



