8 CONNECTICUT EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 153- 



The caterpillars can be gathered and destroyed while rest- 

 ing on the tree trunks or hiding under rubbish during the day. 

 The chrysalids or pupae will*e found in similar places, and can 

 also be destroyed by heat or by crushing. 



THE BROWN-TAIL MOTH. 



Euproctis chrysorrhaea Linn. 



This insect was first noticed in Somerville, Mass. in the 

 early nineties, but was supposed to be some native species. 

 It increased in abundance, and was brought to the attention of 

 entomologists in 1897, who found it to be the brown-tail moth, 

 a European pest introdiiced probabjy by accident into this 

 country. A special appropriation was granted by the Legisla- 

 ture for fighting this insect, and the matter was placed in 

 charge of the Gypsy Moth Commission, but all work of the 

 Commission was discontinued in 1900. The brown-tail moth 

 has spread rapidly to the north through Southeastern New 

 Hampshire, Maine, and adults have been captufed in St. John, 

 New Brupswick, but may have been carried there by boats 

 from Boston. The spread southward has been less rapid. 

 Cape Cod being the most southerly point known to be infested. 

 Toward the west the insect has reached Amherst, Mass. 



Habits and Life History. 



The eggs are laid in masses of about 300, on the under side 

 of the leaves, the egg-masses being smaller and more elongated 

 than those of the gypsy moth. They are also more of a red- 

 dish color, but are covered with hair in much the same manner. 

 Egg-laying takes place between the middle and the end of 



July. 



The eggs hatch early in August, and the young caterpil- 

 lars feed gregariously upon the upper leaf surface, but soon 

 begin to fasten a number of leaves together with silken threads 

 which they spin, forming a nest or web on the ends of the 

 small branches. On tlie approach of cold weather, about 250 

 caterpillars enter each web, and remain there, about one- 

 fourth grown, through the winter, coming out early in April 

 and feeding upon the buds, and later the opening blossoms 



