SPECIAL 1'1:()1;L1:.MS ol" INSKcT coNTJioI. Itil 



i^^rcat (lislaiiccs Iroiii llu; original colony. W'indstoi iiis also 

 aid ill t"iiillieiin*>" tlic liiolit, and steam cars and trollcvs iians- 

 port these pests. liesides tlie injniv to oicliard, sliade Wcv, 

 and forest, the brown-tail caterpilhii- inllicts serious pain iipon 

 nnmy persons. This is caused by line hairs which pierce the 

 skin, the irritation })ecoinino" severe enon<>-h in sonic cases t<> 

 cause illness. A free use of 

 \aseline Avill s^'ive relief. 



The l)rown tail cannot be 

 controlled by an attack ujx)!! 

 the eggs, since they are usuall} 

 on tlie leaves and for- a short 

 time only. S})raying is em- 

 ])loved to destroy the swarm- 

 ing cater})illars, but the most 

 effective methrxl is destruc- 

 tion of the winter nests. These 

 are conspicuous on the tips of 

 liranches between August luid 

 April. 'Hiey may then be cut 

 with pole shears, and must be 

 can'fu/Jj/ colU'ctciJ and Inonu'd. 



Parasites. '11 le great aim 

 in the attempt at control of 

 any pest is to discover its nat- 

 ural enemy. In the case of 



insects like the gypsy and ])i'own-tail moths, a .sv/vV.s- of para- 

 sites is necessaiT, for the parasitic insects restrict themsebcs 

 to one stage only in the (levelo[)meiit of their host. 'VW inscci 

 which attaeks the Qgg takes no notice of the caterpillar, and 

 the insect whicli attacks the caterpillar is never found upon 

 pupjie. Several native parasitic insects are known to attack 

 these pests, and many liave been imported ; but as yet the 

 series is not complete and has failed of effective control. 



Fi(.. 7'.'. lirown-Tail Mollis 



Four Piry; masses and two moths layiiiu, 



July H>. Photoijraph by Katliariiif K. 



Dolliear 



