70 



INSECT RECORD FOR 1899 



These web-worms liatcli from eggs laid in clusters "upon 

 the leaves by a whitish moth. As soon as hatched the tiny 

 caterpillars begin to spin a protective web; they are then yel- 

 lowish, marked with black, and have a few hairs projecting 

 from their bodies. They spin webs over the nearest leaves 

 and then feed upon the green substance of the leaf, eating this 

 out so that the net-work of veins remains, as mav be seen in 

 Fig. 19. As the days go by they enlarge the web t-o cover 

 other leaves, which are in turn attacked. About once a week 

 thev moult, or shed their skins, remaininsr alwavs beneath the 



Fig. -20. Apple leaves eaten by older W'eb-woniis. 



protecting web. When they become nearly full-grown as cat- 

 erpillars they eat more or less of the veins along with the leaf 

 substance, generally avoiding the midribs (Fig. 20). 



The full-grown web-worms are a little over an inch long, 

 with the body densely clothed with yellowish hairs. They 

 now leave the trees and descend to the ground, where they 

 spin slight silken cocoons, within which thoy change to the 



