1 86 THE APPLE 



are to be found in nearly all European works on entomology and 

 horticulture. It made its way accidentally to Somerville, Massachu- 

 setts, in the early nineties, — probably in a shipment of roses from 

 Holland, — multiplied, spread, and is now generally disseminated 

 over eastern New England. 



Damage by the brown-tail moth. While at first a pest only of 

 the pear and other fruit trees, the brown-tail moth has now adapted 

 itself to various species of forest trees, notably the oaks. In the 

 spring, as soon as the buds unfold, the young caterpillars begin 

 to feed and, where numerous, completely strip even large trees. 

 When the food supply gives out they swarm forth along fences, 

 walks, etc. in search of other foliage. As in the case of the 

 gypsy moth, all the destructive work of the brown-tail moth is 

 done by its caterpillar. 



Whenever these insects come in contact with human flesh, they 

 produce a severe and painful irritation, which is apparently due 

 to some poisonous substance in the hairs, and also, perhaps, to the 

 finely barbed and brittle hairs themselves. So severe is this affec- 

 tion that in many cases people have been made seriously ill by it. 

 The best remedy for it is the liberal use of cooling lotions or the 

 free use of common vaseline. 



History of the brown-tail moth. The moth. The moths are 

 pure white on the wings, but the female has a conspicuous bunch 

 of brown hair at the tip of the abdomen, hence the name " brown- 

 tail moth." The female has a wing expanse of about i|- inches, 

 that of the male, which is slender-bodied, being slightly less. 

 Both the male and the female fly mainly by night, and are greatly 

 attracted to lights. 



The egg. The egg mass of the brown-tail moth somewhat re- 

 sembles that of the gypsy moth, but is laid on the underside of 

 a leaf, — seldom on a tree trunk, — and is smaller, more elongated, 

 and of a brighter reddish-brown color. From July 1 5 to the end 

 of the month the white moths lay their eggs in brown, hair-covered 

 masses on the leaves near the top of the trees. Each egg cluster 

 contains about 300 eggs, closely packed in a mass about | inch 

 long and i inch wide. 



Hie eater-pillar. The eggs hatch during August, and the young 

 caterpillars begin to feed in clusters on the upper surface of the 



