;»o 



THE GYPSY MOTH. 



caterpillars become full grown during July, mostly about 

 the first. Injury done by the pest is, therefore, largely con- 

 fined to the months of May and June, being most serious as 

 the caterpillars become grown. 



The Pupa. — "When fully grown, usually in July, the 

 caterpillar spins a few threads of silk as a supporting frame- 

 work, casts its' skin and changes into a pupa, or, as it is 

 sometimes called, a chrysalis. The pupa is dark reddish or 

 chocolate in color and very thinly sprinkled with light red- 

 dish hairs. Unfortunately, it resembles the pupae of certain 

 other moths found in Massachusetts (and New England), 

 and cannot, unless by experts, be identified at a glance. The 

 thinly sprinkled, light reddish hairs are, however, charac- 

 teristic. ' ' The pupa stage lasts from 10 days to two weeks, 

 during which time the insect is comparatively dormant, 

 while the wonderful changes take place by which the 



tissues of the 

 , __ _ worm-like cat- 



erpillar are so 

 transf o r m e d 

 that from the 

 a p p ar ently 

 lifeless pupa, 

 the winged, 

 ' adult moth 



! ■ emerges. 



The Moth.-~ 

 (Figure 8.) 

 "From July 15 

 to August 15 

 the winged 

 moths emerge 

 from the pupae, 

 the date vary- 

 i n g according 

 to the season 

 and the time of 





'^. 



Fig. 8.— Male and Female Gypsy Moth.s. Natural size. 

 (After ForbusU and Fernald.) 



