118 



THE BROWN-TAIL MOTH 



pillar, or pupa, may be readily seen through it. Where 

 abundant, they will make the cocoons (Fig. 12) under 

 fences, beneath clapboards and in similar retreats. In 

 these the caterpillars transform to pupie about the middle 

 or third week of June (June 15-18, 1905). The pupa, 

 shown in figure 14, is slightly over half an inch long, of a 

 dark brown color, with a conical spine armed with numer- 

 ous small hooks at its tip. Smooth, yellowish-brown hairs 

 are scattered over the abdomen and thorax, but none are 

 on the antennae, legs or wing-covers, 'i'lie jiupal stage lasts 

 for about twenty days. 



ef~T^« 



Fig. 16.— Eggs of the Brown-Tail Moth on leaf. (After Kirkland.) Reduced. 



TJie Moth. — ]Most of the moths emerge during the second 

 week of July (July 6 to 10, 1905, mostly emerging on 7th 

 and 8th). They usually emerge late in the afternoon and 

 are ready to fly that night. Both sexes are pure white, 

 except the abdomen, which is dark brown. The wings of 

 the males expand about one and one third and those of the 

 females one and one half inches, as shown natural size in 

 fisiure 15. The tip of the abdomen of the female forms a 

 large tuft or brush of golden or dark brown hairs, to which 

 is due the name of the insect. The moths are strong fliers 

 and are readily attracted by lights. 



Eggs. — Egg-laying commences at once. The eggs (Fig. 

 16) are usually deposited on the under sides of the outer 

 leaves of the tree, toward the tips of the limbs. An egg 

 mass is about two thirds of an inch long by one fourth of 

 an inch wide, contains from two to four hundred eggs, and 

 is covered with dark brown hair from Ihe tip of the abdomen 



