to a fork of the tree near by, and there spin a web of whitish 

 silk in which to live. From this they go out to the leaves each 

 day to feed, spinning a thread as they go, and following this 

 thread back to the tent again as night comes on. They are 

 liable to hatch so early in the spring that the opening buds pro- 

 vide the only food available, and from them they pass to the 

 leaves as these develop. As they grow they increase the size 



Fig. 2.1 — Moih of common tent 

 caterpillar. 



Fig. 1.>— (ff) Side view, (6) back view of commou 

 tent caterpillar; (c) eggs, and (rfj cocoon. 



of the tent so that all can remain inside at night, and by the 

 1st of June it may be a foot or more long and perhaps half 

 as wide at its widest point. 



By the middle of June, or sometimes earlier, the caterpillars 

 have become full grown. They now leave the tent and crawl 

 off in different directions, seeking protected places in which to 

 make their cocoons. These may be found on walls, fences or 

 in other shelters, and are oval, yellowish, closely woven masses 

 of silk about an inch long. Within this cocoon the caterpillar 



1 These illu trations, obtained through the courtesy of Mrs. C. V. Riley, are from Riley, 

 3d Missouri Report, 1870. 



