FOOD PLANTS OF THE GIPSY MOTH IN AMERICA. 11 



111 the trays, both, at Melrose Highlands and Worcester, adults were reared. 

 The larvae thrived about the same as on wild red cherry and were of fair size. 

 This species appears to be the most favored of the cherries. 



Sweet Cherry (Prunus avium L.). 



Trays started with newly hatched larvae, both at the Worcester and Melrose 

 Highlands laboratories, produced moths. The larvae fed very slowly, especially 

 in the later stages, and were of small size. 



Mr. Shinkwin observed a single roadside tree in a badly infested area that 

 was nearly defoliated by third and fourth stage larvae. 



Wild Black Cherry (Prunus serotina Ehrh.). 



Adults were obtained from first-stage larvae started in trays. These larvae 

 grew very slowly and were only about one-half normal size. 



From all sections the observation is made that there is little feeding and by 

 all stages. Mr. Shinkwin notes a case in a heavy infestation where wild black 

 cherry was nearly defoliated. 



Wild Red Cherry (Padus virginiana (L.) Mill.). 



This cherry was fed upon very slightly by the gipsy-moth larvae, usually in 

 the first two stages and very slightly in the third. The blossoms were attacked 

 more than the leaves. 



In the trays at Melrose Highlands adults were secured from first-stage larvae. 



They fed sparingly and grew very slowly. 



Chestnut (Castanea dentata [Marsh.] Borkh.). 



This species has been observed by all the field men, and they agree that 

 gipsy-moth larvae feed upon it to a limited extent in all stages except the first. 

 If favored food plants are abundant, the larvae soon confine their attention to 

 these plants. Where the infestation is heavy and the favored food is consumed 

 the chestnuts are sometimes stripped. 



In the tray work at both laboratories no first-stage larvae started on this 

 foliage went through to the second stage. Second-stage larvae fed and adults 

 were secured. 



Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa [Michx.] Britton). 



First-stage larvae fed freely on this species in the trays and produced adults. 

 A small amount of feeding was noted in the field, mainly on the blossoms. 



Cornus (Cornus sp.). 



Mr. Proctor notes pinhole feeding on this species in the field, but the other 

 observers do not record any feeding in the other sections. 



In the trays none reached the adult stage, although tried with the different 

 stages of the larvae. It is an unfavored species. 



Flowering Dogwood (Cynoxylon floridum [L.] Raf.). 



This species was tried in the laboratory at Melrose Highlands with each 

 successive stage of gipsy-moth larvae and none reached the adult. More feed- 

 ing was noted on the flowers than on the leaves. In the field, even in badly 

 infested territory, only very slight feeding was noted. It is an unfavored 

 species. 



