THE TENT-CATEEPILLAE. S75 



dried mullein head and its stalk fastened to a pole, will be 

 useful to remove the nests, with the caterpillers contained 

 therein, from those branches which are too high to be reached 

 by hand. Instead of the brush, we may use, with nearly 

 equal success, a small mop or sponge, dipped as often as 

 necessary into a pailful of refuse soapsuds, strong whitewash, 

 or cheap oil. The mop should be thrust into the nest and 

 turned round a little, so as to wet the caterpillars with the 

 liquid, which will kill every one that it touches. These 

 means, to be effectual, should be employed during the proper 

 hours, that is, early in the morning, at midday, or at night, 

 and as soon in the spring as the caterpillars begin to make 

 their nests ; and they should be repeated as often, at least, 

 as once a week, till the insects leave the trees. Early 

 attention and perseverance in the use of these remedies will, 

 in time, save the farmer hundreds of dollars, and abundance 

 of mortification and disappointment, besides rewarding him 

 with the grateful sight of the verdant foliage, snowy blos- 

 soms, and rich fruits of his orchard in their proper seasons. 



Another caterpillar, whose habits are similar to those of 

 the preceding, is now and then met with in Massachusetts, 

 upon oak and walnut trees, and more rarely still upon apple- 

 trees and cherry-trees. According to Mr. Abbot, "it is 

 sometimes so plentiful in Virginia as to strip the oak-trees 

 bare " ; and I may add, that it occasionally proves very in- 

 jurious to orchards in Maine. It may be called OHsiocampa 

 silvatioa, the tent-caterpillar of the forest (Plate VII. Pig. 

 19). With us it comes to its full size from the 10th to 

 the 20th of June, and then measures about two inches in 

 length. There are a few short yellow hairs scattered over 

 its body, particularly on the sides, where they are thickest. 

 The general calor of the whole body is light blue, clear on 

 the back, and greenish at the sides ; the head is blue, and 

 without spots ; there are two yellow spots, and four black 

 dots on the top of the first ring ; along the top of the back 

 is a row of eleven oval white spots, beginning on the second 



