38 MAINE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 



are soon learned, and even anyone unfamiliar with the nest can 

 make himself perfectly certain if he will cut carefully into the 

 nest. // the structure contains one or more silken cells filled 

 zvith tiny living caterpillars it is the winter nest of the brown- 

 tail moth. 



Early in the spring the young caterpillars emerge from their 

 winter nests and feed upon the opening leaf buds. Until about 

 the middle of June they feed greedily upon the leaves, com- 

 pletely stripping the trees where they are numerous. When 

 full grown the caterpillars are about one and one-half inches 

 long. They are dark brown with a sprinkling of orange. Long 

 fine reddish-brown hairs cover the body, and a row of conspicu- 

 ous white hairs run along each side. Like the caterpillars of 

 the tussock and gypsy moths, they bear bright red tubercles on 

 the top of the sixth and seventh abdominal segments. 



Poisonous qualities of the caterpillars. — Were the caterpillars 

 to be feared only for their ravages upon orchard and other 

 trees, the situation would be alarming enough, but not less 

 serious is the physical discomfort experienced by people living 

 in infested districts. When the minutely barbed hairs of the 

 caterpillar come in contact with the skin they cause an eruption 

 similar to and in many cases worse, than ivy poisoning. These 

 hairs are brittle and where the caterpillars are numerous, few 

 people are likely to escape, as the caterpillars drop from the 

 branches and creep about, even entering houses. Direct con- 

 tact with the insects themselves is not necessary, however, for 

 when the caterpillars shed their skins the molts are blown about, 

 widely scattering the barbed hairs. 



The caterpillars are usually full grown in June. They then 

 spin loose cocoons, attached commonly to leaves, though some- 

 times other shelter is sought. Within these they transform to 

 brown pupae about three-fourths of an inch long. From the 

 first to the twentieth of July the moths with pure white wings 

 and brown-tipped abdomens emerge from these cocoons to 

 deposit eggs for the next generation of caterpillars. 



REMEDIAL MEASURES. 



Destruction of breeding places. — Old and worthless orchard 

 trees, wild cherry tangles and other susceptible trees in infested 

 regions should be cleared away, thus lessening the labor of 



