328 MAINS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 1908. 



late in July. They pass the winter in the pupal stage, under 

 the leaf mold and the moths emerge in the spring. 



Habits. 



The eggs are deposited singly by the female which in cap- 

 tivity applied the eggs to both sides of the leaf. From the rea- 

 son that during both years over the whole range of the infesta- 

 tion the tops of the trees were stripped first and then the lower 

 branches it is to be concluded that the moths by preference 

 deposit the eggs upon the upper leaves. Perhaps the same 

 tendency to fly high may account in part for the fact that the 

 hillside forests were in general more largely attacked than the 

 lowlands, which was noticeable throughout the infested districts. 



An interesting feature was noticed in the feeding habits of 

 the larvae. The young caterpillars just hatched fed, as do the 

 young of many species, from the surface of the leaf skeleton- 

 izing it in spots by nibbling out the parenchyma and leaving 

 even the finest veins untouched. (See Figure 28). This habit 

 was continued through the first instar but after the first molt 

 the caterpillars migrated to the margin of the leaf and the 

 meals during the second instar were obtained by eating down 

 between the veins as indicated by Figure 29. In the third 

 instar the feeding habits of the caterpillars is represented by 

 Figure 30. After that Figures 31 and 32 are significant illus- 

 trations. 



The saddled prominents do not cling tightly to the leaf or 

 branch. Even in the first instar the caudal portion of the body is 

 elevated, — the species from the first observing that character- 

 istic family trait. A slight jar will dislodge the caterpillars 

 from their hold and bring them rattling to the ground. (See 

 also Combatative Measures page 349). They then climb the 

 trunk and go to work again. 



Before each of the four molts they carefully spin a thin, 

 broad resting mat where they cling during the molt. At such 

 times the larva usually waits with the head curved to one side 

 as shown in Figure 27 where it will be noticed that the head 

 molt has just occurred. 



The full grown larva drops or climbs to the ground and con- 

 structs a cell in the earth or under the leaves at a distance of 

 one to 3 inches below the surface. This cell is oval and is lined 



