136 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



and their egg clusters are frequently mistaken for those of the 

 gypsy moth. 



The eo-gs of the white-marked tussock moth are laid in the 

 fall, often on twigs, but perhaps more frequently on the trunk 

 or limbs of the tree on the old cocoons from which the female 

 moths have escaped. The eggs are covered with a white 

 froth which rapidly hardens, forming a crust which entirely 

 conceals the eggs, but which is itself very conspicuous. The 

 winter is passed in this condition, the eggs hatch in the spring, 

 and the caterpillars feed upon the leaves until they are full 

 grown, this condition being reached sometime about the middle 

 or end of June. They now spin their cocoons on the trunk, 

 limbs or twigs, and in this stage remain for two or three weeks, 

 at the end of which time the moths escape. 



The male moth is winged, and flies freely; but the female, 

 being wingless, remains on the cocoon from which she escaped, 

 and on this cocoon lays her eggs for a second brood, covering 

 them with white froth, and dies upon the completion of this 

 process. 



The eggs thus laid soon hatch, and the caterpillars feed till 

 the middle of August, when they also form cocoons, from 

 which the second brood of moths escapes about the end of 

 the month. Egg laying then follows as before, but these eggs 

 do not hatch till the following spring. 



The life of the old tussock moth is so similar to this that it 

 need not be outlined; but the caterpillar, though bearing the 

 tufts or tussocks which have given these insects their name, is 

 quite different, its color being more quiet and rendering the 

 insect less noticeable. 



Destruction of the egg masses by hand is generally easy as a 

 method for the control of the tussock moths, and, as they re- 

 main on the trees from September until the following spring, 

 there is plenty of time available for their removal. If the 

 insects are first noticed while feeding, however, the sprays for 

 the codling moth should prove entirely efficient to hold them 

 in check, and it is only where negleet prevails that the tussock 

 moths are of much importance for any length of time. 



Though eighteen insect enemies of our fruit trees have just 

 been considered more or less in detail, these form but a small 



