136 MAINE -TATE COLLEGE 



light brown, and the thorax of a darker shade. These moths are 

 on the wing late in June or July. The female deposits her eggs 

 on the under side of a leaf in a cluster, usually during July. 

 They soon hatch into small caterpillars. These caterpillars, 

 while young, feed upon the tender tissues of the under side of 

 the leaf, leaving the upper surface unbroken, but when large they 

 devour greedily the whole leaf. They reach maturity during 

 August or September. The specimens sent were about half 

 grown, and were about three-fourths of an inch long. When 

 full grown they are often an inch and a quarter long. The full grown 

 larvae maybe known by the cora'-red head and a hump of the same 

 color on the fourth ring or segment from the head. The body is 

 striped lengthwise with narrow yellow, white and black lines. 

 There are two rows of black spines along the back, and rows of 

 shorter black spines on the sides. Each spine bears a fine hair. 

 The spines on the coral-red hump are more prominent than the 

 ethers. The hinder end of the caterpillar tapers and is usually 

 elevated when the insect m at rest. When handled, a fluid with a 

 strong acid smell is emitted. When mature they descend to the 

 ground and hide under leaves or rnbbish, or sometimes burrow a 

 little into the ground and slowly change to the chrysalis state, 

 where they remain until the following spring, when the moths 

 appear, completing the life history. At the north there is only 

 one biood during the summer, but in the south two broods appear. 



The species is widely distributed, though not usually abundant. 

 It prefers the apple, but will feed upon the plum, cherry, rose, 

 thorn and pear, plants belonging to the Rose family. 



As these caterpillars go in flocks, and when not feeding remain 

 close together, they could easily be destroyed by cutting off the 

 branch on which they appear and burning it. They might be 

 destroyed by jarring the limb, and when they fall to the around 

 trample them with the foot. If the trees are not in bearing, the 

 insects could be destroyed by spraying with Paris green in Bos- 

 pension in water, 1 pound to 150 gallons. They emit such an 

 odor birds do not eat them. It is said that Ichneumons are par- 

 asetic upon them and help hold them in check. 



This is the first complaint we have had of this insect in Maine. 

 It may have been introduced on nursery stock from farther 

 south. The history of its appearance and the extent of its depre- 

 dations at Fairfield would be interesting, and we hope Mr. Higgins 



