274 ENGLISH ESTATE FORESTRY 



suggesting the advisability of preventive or remedial 

 measures. 



Taking those insects in the above list in the order named, 

 it is proposed to give as briefly as possible an outline of their 

 life-histories, and describe any practical methods that may 

 be taken to suppress them. Many of the remedies often 

 suggested are not practicable on a large scale, and their 

 adoption is a more troublesome and expensive process than 

 the damage done by the insects justifies. 



THE OAK-LEAF EOLLER MOTH. 



This moth makes itself most conspicuous in the south 

 of England, and in woods or coppices more than on hedgerow 

 or park trees. In some seasons it is scarce enough to escape 

 notice altogether, in others it appears in such immense 

 numbers that the trees are entirely stripped of their foliage 

 by the middle of June, and appear as bare as in midwinter. 

 The caterpillars of this moth appear in May, and at once 

 begin feeding on young foliage. At first they are of a 

 greenish hue, later on becoming of a dark brown colour, 

 with rows of black tubercles on each side, and a black head. 

 When disturbed they let themselves down by a thread to a 

 distance of several feet, and sometimes to the ground itself. 

 After feeding for about a month they pupate at the apex 

 of an oak-leaf, which they roll up into a hollow tube and 

 cement together by a web derived from their bodies. The 

 moth appears in July, and may be seen flying about the 

 crowns of oak trees preparatory to egg-laying. The eggs are 

 laid on the current year's shoots, and remain there throughout 

 the winter until the following spring. 



Where oak woods or coppices exist, it is impossible to 

 devise either preventive or remedial measures in any way 

 adequate to meet the case. The attack must take its course, 

 and the remedy be left to nature, which, by means of the 

 midsummer shoots, reclothes the trees with fresh foliage 

 after the insects have done their work. Woods on deep 

 fresh ground rarely suffer any permanent injury from this 

 moth, but on light sandy ground, and with stunted trees, 



