Js'o. 4.] GYPSY MOTH — APPENDIX. 429 



canker worms (^Paleacrita vernata) , Isiaj heet\e (Lachnos- 

 tevna fusca)., eggs of the Kooky Mountain locust and nu- 

 merous cut- worms. 



Mr. F. H. Mosher informs me that he has found these 

 larvte quite numerous during the past summer under bur- 

 laps on an estate in Brookline whicli was quite badly 

 infested by the gypsy moth. Without doul)t these insects 

 would do a great amount of good by killing the gypsy moth 

 lary;y which would seek shelter below the burlap. If this 

 habit of hiding in concealed places on trees, as under loose 

 bark, etc., is constant among these beetle larvae, a g-reat 

 many of the caterpillars as well as eggs of the gypsy moth 

 must be destroj^ed every season. In confinement I have 

 found that larvae of C. frigiduin will feed quite freely on 

 the gypsy moth egg-clusters. 



The amount of food consumed by a larva of C. frigidmn 

 in confinement was as follows : during the first stage one 

 small cut-worm, three second-molt gypsy moth larvae and 

 one third-molt gypsy moth larva ; second stage, two fall web 

 worms {Hyphantria cunea) , one larva oiDatana mimstra, one 

 army worm (Leucama unipuncta) and one-half of a gypsy 

 moth egg-cluster; third stage, two Datana integerrima, two 

 D. ministra, one Atiacus promethea and six army worms. 



Under natural conditions this amount would be prob- 

 aljly somewhat increased. The larvae also ate gypsy moth 

 pupae quite readily, especially directly after pupation, be- 

 fore the bodies had become hard, the most favorable 

 place for attack on the hardened pupae being a point at the 

 base of the wing-covers. 



The larvie are very ferocious, and do not hesitate to at- 

 tack a caterpillar on account of its size or strength. They 

 commonly grasp the victim l)y some of the ventral seg- 

 ments, and cling with great tenacity until the caterpillar 

 succumbs. If perchance the little larva is shaken oflf, he 

 persistently renews his attack with greater zeal than before. 

 After succeeding in cutting a hole through the integument 

 with his sharp mandibles, he sucks in the viscera of his 

 prey and often becomes gorged almost to the point of burst- 

 ing. He next repairs as ra})idly as his condition will allow 

 to a place of shelter, for which loose leaves, rubbish or 



