22 MAINE AGRICUI.TURAI, e;xpe;rimi;nt station. 1910. 



LEPIDOPTERA. 

 (Butterflies and Moths.) 



Fore;st Cati^rpillars. 

 Heterocampa gtittivitta (The Saddled Promment). 



As during 1907 and 1908, the Saddled Prominent caterpillar 

 was exceedingly destructive to beech and other deciduous forest 

 trees during the summer of 1909, and many areas were entirely 

 stripped of their leaves. The total amount of damage, however, 

 was conspicuously less than during 1908, as would be expected 

 from the wholesale death of this species from fungus disease 

 over extended areas late the previous season. This remarkable 

 outbreak of a species usually not troublesome is fully discussed 

 in Bulletin No. 161 of this Station. For the past season there 

 is little general information to add except to state that the 

 trouble was very much less serious last summer. 



Other species have been very destructive in forest and shade 

 trees during the summer of 1909 as was the case for the two 

 previous seasons, for Maine has experienced three consecutive 

 caterpillar summers. The Green-striped Maple-worm (^wwo to 

 nihiciinda) , the Rosy-striped Oak-worm (Anisota virginiensis) , 

 and the White Tipped Moth {Symmerista alhifrons) were espe- 

 cially guilty. These received a fuller discussion in Bulletin 

 No. 162 of this Station last year. 



Acrohasis ruhrifasciella, a species abundant for several sea- 

 sons in Sweet fern (Myrica asplenifolia L.), constructing in a 

 tangle of leaves curious trumpet shaped cases, was very gen- 

 erally numerous again during the past summer. It was, how- 

 ever, attacked by parasites in great numbers during 1909. 



Hypliantria ciinea, the Fall Web-worm,* a common orchard 

 pest, was so unusually abundant upon orchard, shade and forest 

 trees as to rank among the conspicuous pests of 1909, the un- 

 sightly webs being met with everyv/here. Attendant parasites 

 were common. 



A descriptive economic circular is available to applicants. 



