REPORT OF STATE ENTOMOLOGIST, 1898 191 



CL.ISIOCAMPA DISSTRIA Hiibn. 



Forest te?it caterpillar 



Ord. Lepidoptera : Fam. Lasiocampidae 



This species is closely allied to the preceding in structure and habits, 

 as might be inferred from the similarity of their names, and hke its con- 

 gener is frequently very destructive. From the fact that this msect is 

 confined largely to the forests, as indicated by its common name and the 

 scientific one bestowed by Harris, its operations are more rarely brought 

 to notice, and then only when it has committed extensive ravages. 



Injuries the past two years in New York state. The ravages 

 of this insect in New York state this year and last have been unprece- 

 dented in the annals of our state. In fact, there appears to be no record 

 of injury earlier than 1857, when it was reported to Dr Riley as quite 

 destructive in certain parts of western New York. 10 years later Peter 

 Ferris (see citation) reported that this insect had been troublesome in 

 western New York for 1 2 years or more. The next serious outbreak was 

 brought to the attention of Dr Lintner in 1889 from Kingsbury, Wash- 

 ington county, N. Y., where about 10 acres were defoliated. These dep- 

 redations, however, sink into insignificance compared with those reported 

 to Dr Lintner last year and the more wide spread injuries brought to my 

 notice the present season. In 1897 this species was reported by Prof. 

 John Mickleborough as very destructive to maples and other forest trees 

 at Jewelt, Greene county. At Andes, Delaware county, its ravages were 

 complained of by Barton Jackson. The most serious injuries reported 

 that year were in the vicinity of Margaretville, in the same county. The 

 following excerpts from a report made by Henry B. Ingram, of Kingston, 

 N. Y., will give an idea of their abundance and the extensive depreda- 

 tions committed : 



The cocoons of this insect in the mfested district fairly whitened the 

 places where they were attached. Under the eaves of buildings, under 

 the lower edge of every clapboard on buildings, in piles of brush, under 

 every loose stone, piece of bark or board, in the crevices of the bark on 

 trees and every place where a worm could hide and undergo its transfor- 

 mations — all these were found crowded with cocoons. 



The part of Delaware county visited by me on Thursday, July 8, 

 1897, was Arkville and Margaretville along the Ulster and Delaware 

 railroad. The first place I visited was what is known as Ely S wart's 

 sugar bush, one mile and a half east of Margaretville village. This 

 sugar orchard, or rather, sugar maple forest, comprises about 60 acres. 

 Then the maple trees continue in a dense forest through other farms up 

 and over the mountains for several miles. It is about half a mile wide, 

 and begins in the valley near a long siding half a mile from Arkville, 



