REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF FISHERIES, GAME AND FORESTS. 377 



pupation, occurs about June 1, the transformation to the pupa taking place from 

 about the middle to the last of June. The insect remains in the pupa state about two 

 weeks, the moths appearing the latter part of June and during July, mostly in 

 the latter month. The eggs are deposited during July, a large proportion of them 

 being laid on the lower twigs, but many are found over twenty feet from the ground 

 and numbers even in the tops of tall trees. 



Food Plants. Like the apple tree tent caterpillar, this insect can subsist on a large 

 variety of plants. Its favorite species of oak in the southern states, as given by the 

 late Dr. Riley, are those belonging to the same group as the black oak. In New York 

 and adjoining states this insect is reported more frequently as defoliating the sugar 

 maple than any other tree. This may be owing to the fact that large sugar orchards 

 afford the most favorable conditions for the caterpillars in the north, and as the maples 

 are of greater value than forest trees, complaints of attack are more frequent. The 

 caterpillars have been reported by various writers as feeding upon the following trees 

 and shrubs : Linden, maples, locust, peach, plum, cherry, rose, strawberry, apple, 

 sweet gum {Liquidambar styraciflnd), dog wood, "black gum," sour gum (JVyssa 

 syh'aticd), ash, elm, black walnut, hickory, walnut, oak, black oak, post oak, white 

 birch, gray birch, willow and poplar. 



Natural Enemies. Like the preceding, this species has a number of important 

 natural enemies. A fungous disease' is known to attack this caterpillar, but at present 

 little has been done in attempting to disseminate it. One 

 of the most fruitful methods of keeping the pest in check 

 through the aid of its natural enemies, will probably be 

 found in encouraging and protecting the native birds known 

 to feed on it. Robins, orioles, chipping sparrows, cat 

 birds, cuckoos, the red eyed, white eyed and warbling 

 vireos, cedar birds and nuthatches have been observed 

 feeding on forest tent caterpillars by Miss Caroline G. 

 Soule. "The nuthatches would stand by a patch of larvae Fi s- 5— fiery ground beetle. 



J r (After Riley). 



lying close together below a tar band on a tree and eat so 



voraciously and with such an entire abandonment of self-consciousness that I could 

 go close and put my hand on them before they would fly. This experience was 

 repeated several times." Mr. E. H. Forbush, Ornithologist to the Massachusetts 

 State Board of Agriculture, has kindly supplied me with the following list of native 

 birds observed by him feeding on forest tent caterpillars : Oriole, black billed 

 cuckoo, yellow billed cuckoo, crow, blue jay, redstart, nuthatch, wood thrush, 

 chewink, black and white creeper, red eyed vireo, flicker and scarlet tanager. Mr. 

 V. H. Lowe has observed the black capped chickadee feeding on the eggs and the 



