24 



FIELD WORK AGAINST GIPSY AND BROWN-TAIL MOTHS. 



bers of these insects. The morning following a flight, the houses, 

 telephone poles, and trees in the immediate vicinity of the arc lights 

 are usually well covered with small white moths (see fig. 6); and it is 

 no uncommon thing for lamp trimmers to collect one or two quarts 

 of dead moths inside the globe surrounding a light. The hairs from 

 the abdomens of the moths are poisonous, as well as those from the 

 caterpillars, and a great many persons have been caused severe incon- 

 venience by coming in contact with the adult insects. 



The moths' habit' of flying to lights serves 

 to increase their distribution, especially in 

 the more thickly populated regions. 



Large numbers of the insects are killed, 

 however, by coming in contact with the 

 light and many of the survivors are de- 

 stroyed by birds the morning following 

 the flight. The English sparrow has been 

 observed by Mr. Kirkland to kill large 

 numbers of the moths which remained 

 about the lamps by pulling off the wings 

 and devouring the bodies. 



POISONING 



EFFECT OF 

 HAIRS. 



BROWN-TAIL 



From the time this insect was first found 

 in Somerville numerous reports were re- 

 ceived that the caterpillars were poisonous 

 to human beings. Many people were 

 severely affected with what was termed 

 '^the brown-tail rash," and much com- 

 plaint arose on that account. 



The best explanation of the trouble was 

 that the barbed hairs of the caterpillars 

 (fig. 7), when they came in contact with 

 human skin, caused severe irritation. The 

 scratching to relieve this itching forced 

 the hairs farther into the tissue, which 



resulted in a slight swelling and an intense burning and stinging 



sensation. 



When the housewife swept the caterpillars from the porch or 



brushed down the cocoons, which are interlaced with larval hairs, 



many were broken, and as a result severe cases of brown-tail rash 



followed. 



Fig. 6.— Brown-tail moths on elec- 

 tric light pole, Somerville, Mass,, 

 Jiily 2, 1908. (From Kirkland.) 



