21 



1 



The workman is furnished with a pole, to the end of which a small 

 sponge is tied. He goes from tree to tree, dipping the sponge occa- 

 sionally into the creosote preparation and touching with it each egg 

 mass found. This is a simple and very rapid method. It has the 

 advantage of rapidity over the scraping method described above, since 

 after the eggs are scraped off they must be collected and carried away 

 S for burning. 



A modification of this plan may be used to advantage against the 

 tussock moth. The pure white color of the egg mass of the tussock 

 moth, however, renders the use of coal tar in the preparation unnec- 

 essary, since the creosote oil alone will discolor it enough to render a 

 treated mass recognizable at a distance. 



No explicit directions for spraying with arsenical poisons against 

 this insect are needed. The same liquid and the same apparatus that 



& a. I, 



Fig. 8. — Pimpla inquisitor, an Ichneumonid parasite of tussock-moth caterpillar, u, parasitized cat- 

 erpillar; b, egg of parasite; c, same in sjiw; d, parasite larvje issuing; e, parasite cocoons — all 

 slightly enlarged, except 6 and c, which are much enlarged (original).i 



are used against the elm leaf -beetle may be used against this insect, 

 and the spraying may be done at about the same time of the year. It 

 is essential that the caterpillars of the first generation shall be killed, 

 as the second and more destructive brood will thus be prevented. 



Banding of the trees is practiced to advantage with this species. It 

 is the only one of the shade-tree insects, except the bagworm, which 

 has a wingless female. All the others, except the gypsy moth, spread 



'See Bulletin 5, technical series, Division of Entomology, and Bulletin 9, new 

 series, pages 15-17, for an extended account of the parasites of this species. The 

 injuriousoutbreak of 1895 was checked in the most perfect manner by these para- 

 sites, so that the tussock moth was hardly to be noticed during the latter part of 

 1896, or during 1897 or 1898. 

 99 



