34 



spring, when the leaves expand. Immediately upon hatching, the young caterpillars 

 consume the glutinous covering of the eggs, and then lose no time in attacking the foliage. 

 They at once begin the construction of their tent, which is a web of fine silk, spun in the- 

 nearest fork of the twig upon which they were hatched, This tent is increased in size as 

 the caterpillars grow, and if left undisturbed is sometimes nearly a foot in diameter. The 

 caterpillars are very regular in their habits, marching out in regular processions, each 

 following close behind the one in front of it. From the habit of the larvae of this genus 

 of marching out in bodies to feed, they are known in Europe as '' processionary cater- 

 pillars." When their appetites are satisfied, they return again to their tents 

 to rest. They do not feed at night nor in stormy weather. They usually do not 

 leave their tent until after nine in the morning, and have all returned before sundown. 

 They are generally inactive in the middle of the day. When full grown the caterpillars 

 are two inches in length, and beautifully marked with black, white, blue, yellow and 

 brown, in the pattern shown in fig. 3, b. The continuous stripe down the back is white, 

 and serves as a distinctive mark by which this species can be at once known from the 

 Forest Tent caterpillar, (fig. 4) which has this dorsal stripe broken up into spots. This 



Fig. 4. 



Fig. 5. 



latter also differs in not constructing a tent, but merely spins a mat of silk on the side of 

 the tree or upon one of the large branches, on or near which it lives more or less in 

 community ; but it has not the same social habits as its relatives. Just before they spin 

 their cocoons the caterpillars wander very much, seeking a suitable place. The cocoon 

 (fig. 3, d) is greenish yellow, and contains a powdery material like powdered sulphur. 

 The moths emerge in about eighteen or twenty days after the cocoon is made. 



11 medies. — The most successful remedies with these insects are undoubtedly hand- 

 picking. During the winter the egg-clusters (fig. 3 c, and fig 5) can be easily collected 

 and destroyed. They are always laid upon the small twigs and near the tips, so that if 

 a dull day be chosen they can be easily detected against the sky, and can then be cut off 

 and burnt) when of course that tree is exempt from attack until eggs are laid again the 

 j ear. If this precaution is neglected, the nests which are conspicuous objects, 

 e the foliage is fully expanded in spring, must be cut off and destroyed. An invasion 

 from neighboring trees can be prevented by tying a strip of cotton batting around the 

 trunk, which the caterpillars have difficulty in climbing over. 



CUT-WORMS. 



Of all the injuries committed year after year upon field and garden crops, none are 

 more annoying than those due to the lavages of the various caterpillars known as Cut- 

 worms. These are the larva? of dull-colored, active moths, belonging for the most part 

 to the three genera, Agrotis, Hadena, and Mamestra, and in North America alone consti- 



