140 THE SPINY ELM CATERPILLAR 



PREDACEOUS INSECTS 



Besides those insects which develop on the inside of the 

 bodies of these caterpillars, called parasites, there are other 

 insect enemies that attack them from the outside and devour 

 them bodily. Such enemies are called predaceous insects. 

 The most notable of these, perhaps, is a large beetle called 

 the caterpillar hunter; it is known to entomologists as Calo- 

 soma scrutator. Some cases are on record in which this insect 

 has been observed to destroy many of the Antiopa Caterpillars. 

 In ]Srew Hampshire, however, this beetle is comparatively 

 rare, and it can be relied upon for but little hel]). 



In the Southern states a large reddish wasp has been 

 observed to attack and destroy the Antiopa Caterpillars. 

 There are probably also various other insect enemies at w^ork, 

 although definite observations upon them have not been re- 

 corded. 



These Elm Caterpillars are such spiny creatures that com- 

 paratively few birds attack them. They are devoured, how- 

 ever, by the cuckoos, of which we have two species in New 

 England, — the yellow-billed and the black-billed cuckoos. 

 It is probable also that these insects are eaten by Baltimore 

 orioles and various other birds. 



These caterpillars are also greedily devoured by toads, but 

 of course as a rule they do not come within reach of these 

 useful animals. 



REMEDIES 



In general the most satisfactory remedy for these caterpil- 

 lars is to cut off while they are still young the branch on 

 which they are feeding, and crush or burn the insects. After 

 they become larger they may be shaken off and crushed. Or 

 the colonies may be brought down with a torch, care being 

 taken to kill the caterpillars that fall to the ground, as prob- 

 ably many of them will not be seriously injured by the flame. 

 Jarring the limbs with a padded mallet will also be a useful 

 way of bringing down those out of reach; or they may be 

 brought down by use of a strong stream of water from a force 

 pump or hydrant. 



