178 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



ing with the caterpillars of this insect, which have issued from the one to 

 20 or more nests on each of the hapless trees in the search for food. 

 Though this species is easily controlled, as will be shown later, the 

 common practice is apparently to let the caterpillars alone, trusting that 

 natural agents will keep them in control. 



Extensive ravages during the past two years. As a result of 

 allowing nature to have her course after the balance between the various 

 forms of life has been disturbed by man, this insect causes more or less 

 damage every year, and frequently commits extensive depredations. 

 The latter has been the case the last two seasons. Complaints were 

 received from many localities of the abundance and destructiveness of 

 these caterpillars. Not only were the native cherry-trees defoliated, but 

 apple orchards suffered severely from the attacks of this insect, specially 

 in the western part of the state where many were stripped of their 

 leaves. Mr S. D. Willard, of Geneva, N. Y., informed me last 

 spring that tent caterpillars had caused him an unusual amount of 

 trouble, though he had kept close watch of them. In some locali- 

 ties the losses were increased by the ravages of the so-called forest 

 tent caterpillar, Clisiocavipa disstria Hiibn., which was also abundant and 

 in some counties excessively injurious. The Weather crop bulletins issued 

 in May and early June of last year give some indication of the wide- 

 spread abundance of this insect. Such comments as : ' Apple-trees cov- 

 ered with caterpillars,' * Caterpillars more numerous than ever before,' 

 * Caterpillars have ruined some orchards,' ' Many trees nearly stripped by 

 worms,' and similar expressions from widely separated localities may all 

 be referred to this insect with comparative certainty, and indicate its 

 deitructiveness in neglected orchards. From Cambridge, N. Y., came 

 the report last year that the place was simply overrun by the apple-tree 

 tent caterpillar. In 1898 the Weather crop bulletins contained the folio w- 

 mg observations: 'Tent worms hatching out thick,' 'Tent worms 

 unusually numerous,' * Tent worms very thick in places.' The unusual 

 abundance of this familiar pest was patent to anyone traveling in 1897 

 and 1898, the latter i)art of May or early in June, either in this or some 

 of the adjacent states. In many portions of Massachusetts leafless trees 

 testified to the work of this enemy, and in Vermont the same conditions 

 prevailed to a greater or less extent. 



Description. Though the tent caterpillar is a very common 

 insect and fami'iar to almost everyone when found in its conspicuous 

 white nests in the spring, many are unable to positively recognize the larva, 

 unless seen near its nest, few can identify its egg belts, while a still smaller 

 number have any idea of the appearance of the parent moth. 



