294 PESTS OF ORCHARD AND SMALL FRUITS 
ize leaves near by, giving the foliage a brown appearance. After a 
few weeks they make their winter nest and retire to it, temaining 
therein until the following spring. 
In addition to the damage done by the caterpillars there is an annoy- 
ing and sometimes serious poisoning of human beings by barbed hairs 
borne by the caterpillars. These hairs often are carried by the wind. 
1 
Fic. 435. — Egg-masses and adult female of the Browntail Moth. 
Original. 
The ordinary means of control is the removal and burning of the 
winter nests. On fruit trees it is a better plan to spray with arsenical 
poisons the first week in August, at the time when the caterpillars are 
just hatching from the egg. They are not resistant to poison when 
small, and a moderate dose will kill them. Spraying in the spring is 
not satisfactory. 
