30 • NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Present conditions. Agents of the Department of Agriculture and 

 the Federal Bureau of Entomology, following the discovery of the 

 pest in New York, carefully scouted the territory last winter, removing 

 and burning all the nests that could be found. This work was done 

 so thoroughly that an examination October 23, 1914, of a portion of 

 the infested area near Easthampton resulted in finding no hibernating 

 webs containing living caterpillars. The work of last winter showed 

 that the infestation on Long Island was confined largely to wild 

 cherry trees, though in Massachusetts this insect displays a marked 

 preference for the oaks. The most obvious explanation we can 

 suggest is that the wild cherry trees, standing as they do mostly 

 beside clear fields, have a theoretically better chance of attract- 

 ing the moths, as they presumably drift indiscriminately over the 

 land, than would be the case with the oaks which in that section 

 occur in large clumps or cover extended areas. There may be in 

 reality just as serious an infestation in the latter, though the presence 

 of the pest is largely concealed by the small numbers in relation to 

 the amount of available food. 



Future treatment. It is obvious that this insect should not be 

 allowed to multiply in this State, and for the present at least there is no 

 better method of preventing a rapid infestation than by a systematic 

 scouting of the infested territory and of any sections liable to be 

 infested by this insect. Experience in the gipsy moth work in Massa- 

 chusetts has shown that woodland such as that occurring on eastern 

 Long Island can be scouted for about 25 cents an acre, provided 

 there is no serious infestation. This is a very moderate expenditure, 

 when we consider the benefits which should accrue from the work. 

 The excellent results following the scouting of last winter is an indica- 

 tion of what may be expected if the work is continued along the 

 original lines. The location of Long Island is such that unless there 

 is a very large flight and spread of the moths from the mainland, the 

 chances are ver}'- good of eliminating and preventing the infestation 

 of the extensive oak areas. We believe that the high land values, 

 the large investments and the comparative isolation of the island 

 amply justify unusual efforts to protect an exceedingly beautiful and 

 highly desirable territory. 



Owing to the large areas liable to infestation, it is desirable to 

 secure the cooperation of all interested persons in watching for the 

 appearance of the pest, and on this account brief descriptions of the 

 various stages are given below, together with a summary of the habits 

 of the insect. 



Description. The hibernating or winter nests are oflprime impor- 

 tance in locating an infestation, since they are readily discovered 



