INSECTS 



but some reach a length of two and a half inches when 

 fully stretched out. 



In Connecticut, the tent caterpillars begin to go into 

 their sixth and last stage about the middle of May. They 

 now change their habits in many ways, disregarding the 

 conventionalities and refusing the responsibilities that 

 bound them in their earlier stages. They do little if any 

 spinning on the tent, not even keeping it in decent repair. 

 They stay out all night to feed (Fig. 147), unless adverse 

 weather interferes, thus merging dinner into breakfast in 

 one long nocturnal repast. This is attested by observa- 

 tions made through most of several nights, when the 

 caterpillars of four colonies which went out at the usual 

 time in the evenings were found feeding till at least four 

 o'clock the following mornings, but were always back in 

 the tents at seven-thirty a.m. When the caterpillars begin 

 these all-night banquets, they dispense with the mid- 

 day lunch, their crops being so crammed with food by 

 morning that the entire day is required for its digestion. 

 Some writers have described the tent caterpillars as 

 nocturnal feeders, and some have said they feed three 

 times a day. Both statements, it appears, are correct, 

 but the observers have not noted that the two habits 

 pertain to different periods of the caterpillars' history. 



At any time during the caterpillars' lives adverse 

 weather conditions may upset their daily routine. For two 

 weeks during May, days and nights had been fair and 

 generally warm, but on the 17th the temperature did not 

 get above 65 F., and in the afternoon threatening clouds 

 covered the sky. In the evening light rains fell, but the 

 caterpillars of the five colonies under observation came out 

 as usual for dinner and were still feeding when last ob- 

 served at nine p.m. Rains continued through the night, 

 however, and the temperature stood almost stationary 

 between 50 and 55 . 



The next morning three of the small trees containing the 

 colonies were festooned with water-soaked caterpillars, all 



[276] 



