94 >:EW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



INJURIOUS INSECTS 

 Euproctis chrysorrhoea Linn. 



BROWN TAIL MOTH 



Ord. Lepidoptera: Fam. Bombycidae 



Introduced or foreign insects have played a very important 

 part in earlier years, and, if we may judge from recent develop- 

 ments, this leading role will be continued for some time. Our 

 report for the year 1900 contains a summary notice of one of the 

 most injurious foreign insects which have become established 

 on our shores in recent years ; and this occasion is taken advan- 

 tage of to notice in a similar manner a more recently established 

 species, which promises to be of considerable economic import- 

 ance as a destroyer of fruit trees and also as a most serious 

 annoyance to man in all localities where it becomes established 

 in numbers. It is not often that an insect is destructive to 

 vegetation and also markedly injurious to man, and yet this is true 

 of the above named species. The hairs of the caterpillar of this 

 species, coming in contact with the human flesh, produce " a fierce 

 and enduring irritation," as characterized by Mr A. H. Kirkland; 

 and so annoying and prevalent was this that the board of health 

 of the city of Boston gave a public hearing on the subject in 1901. 



Not in New York. This species does not occur in the State of 

 New York ; but, as both the male and female moths are provided 

 with serviceable wings, and as they are readily carried by the 

 winds and with household goods and probably other merchandise, 

 it would not be surprising if the species became established in 

 some locality in New York State in the near future. It was 

 originally located at Somerville Mass., and in 1901 was known 

 to have made its way nearly 30 miles west to Hudson Mass. 

 This species, like some others, is readily controlled when present 

 in small numbers ; and, for this reason, we have deemed it advisa- 

 ble to illustrate the insect in color in its various stages, so that 

 it may be readily recognized and promptly checked in any locality 

 where it may obtain a foothold. 



Distribution. Messrs Fernald and Kirkland state that the 

 brown tail moth occurs in all parts of Europe, except the extreme 

 north, and also in northwestern Africa and in Asia Minor. 



