222 N. H. AGR. EXPERIMENT STATION. [Bulletin 139 



Moth, though it is much the more common species iu all but 

 extreme southern New Hampshire. This species is an importa- 

 tion from Europe aiid feeds upon practically all of our common 

 fruit trees and many of the more common shade and forest trees, 

 being possibly most common on apple and plum. 



THE WHITE-MARKED TUSSOCK MOTH.* 



Though common throughout the state, this species is only 

 abundant in the southernmost towns, where it is often a serious 

 pest of shade trees, as it is in Massachusetts and further south. 



Eggs. — The eggs are laid in a mass upon the old cocoon upon 

 the trunk or main limbs of the tree. This species covers its eggs 

 with a white, frothy mass, so that the individual eggs are not 

 visible. 



Larvae. — Eggs commenced hatching May 7, 1905, and some of 

 this mass were still hatching June 14, when some of the cater- 

 pillars first hatched were ready to pupate. 



The general appearance of the caterpillar is like that of the 

 preceding species, but the head is red, along each side of the 

 black stripe which runs down the middle of the back is a dis- 

 tinct yellow stripe, and it lacks the l)lack pencils on the sides of 

 the second abdominal segment. Possibly the caterpillar is also 

 slightly larger. The hairs from the bodies of these caterpillars 

 are poisonous, like those of the brown-tail moth caterpillars, 

 though not so badly, and often, when abundant, cause disagree- 

 able irritation to a sensitive skin. The larvaa spin thin cocoons 

 and pupate about the middle of June, the moths emerging late 

 in June and first week of July. (June 29 to July 6, 1905.) 



Moth. — The female moth is wingless and resembles that of the 

 preceding species. The male is of a dull ash-gray color with sev- 

 eral wavy dark gray lines crossing the forewings. 



The life history practically duplicates that of the last species, 

 two broods probably occurring in a season. 



This species is most common on fruit and shade trees, but is 

 known to attack practically all deciduous trees, and, according to 

 Prof. Fernald, fir, spruce, larch and cypress. 



* Hemerocampa leucostigma S. and A. 



