the females are heavy bodied. The larvae have tufts of hairs 
characteristic of the tussock moth group and their bodies are 
densely clothed with hairs. In some species there is a feathery 
black hair in each lateral tuft. 
Dasychira basiflava (Pack.), the dark tussock moth, is some- 
times locally common in the Eastern States, where it feeds on 
various deciduous trees such as slippery elm, white oak, beech, 
flowering dogwood, and hickory. The head of the larva is hidden 
by yellowish clusters of barbed spines, and there are tufts of 
hairs on the first and fourth abdominal segments. Heavy infesta- 
tions on valuable shade and ornamental trees may cause serious 
damage. 
The pine tussock moth, Dosychira (=Olene) plagiata (Walker), 
occurs in the Northeastern States west to the Lake States and in 
southeastern Canada. The larvae feed on various conifers such as 
jack pine, red pine, eastern white pine, spruce, and fir. Jack pine 
is especially favored. The moth is gray-brown with lighter and 
darker stripes across the forewings and has a wing expanse of 
25 to 87 mm. Full grown larvae are gray-brown and about 37 mm. 
long. There are four tufts of grayish or brownish hairs on the 
dorsum. The first tuft has two black hair pencils on the front and 
three similar ones on the rear. 
Adults are present from early July to early August in the Lake 
States. Eggs are usually deposited in small, irregular clusters on 
or near the female pupal case, mostly on the needles near mid- 
crown but also on the trunk, dead twigs, and similar vegetation. 
Young larvae feed on the flat surfaces of needles. During August, 
second or third instar larvae svin a few silken threads about 
themselves and go into hibernation. They may be found beneath 
rough bark on large trees or between the bases of needles on 
young, smooth-bark trees. Feeding is resumed in the spring on 
staminate flowers and young needles. Later, old needles are also 
attacked, with everything being consumed down to the needle 
sheath. In heavy infestations the entire tree may be completely 
defoliated. Full-grown larvae spin silken cocoons on twigs or 
among needles. There is one generation per year (736). 
Several extensive outbreaks have occurred in the Lake States 
since the turn of the century, and losses, especially of jack pine, 
have been serious. During 1961-62, outbreaks covering tens of 
thousands of acres of jack pine, red pine, and white spruce were 
recorded in the region. 
Other eastern species of Dasychira are as follows: D. atomaria 
(Wlkr.), and D. vagans (B. & McD.)—sometimes fairly abundant 
on oaks in the Northeast; D. meridionalis (B. & McD.)—on oak 
in the Southeast; D. cinnamomea (G. & R.)—on elm from New 
England to the Lake States; and D. tephra Hbn.—on oak in 
Maine and southern Canada. 
The gypsy moth, Porthetria dispar (L.), was introduced into 
the United States in 1869 when a French scientist brought a 
number of egg clusters from France for the purpose of crossing 
the species with the silk worm. During the course of his work, 
some of the eggs were spilled or lost or some of the larvae es- 
caped, and the species became established. About 20 years later, it 
had spread over an area of about 350 square miles around Boston, 
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