316 



THE GYPSY MOTH. 



2 square inclies. The refuse, which was removed at 4.30 

 P.M., measured 3 square inches, makhig 12 square inches 

 which had been eaten by the three caterpillars, or 4 square 

 inches per caterpillar. May 10, at 4.30 p.m., three cater- 

 pillars, between the third and fourth molt, were supplied 

 with lettuce as follows: May 10, at 4.30, 9 square inches; 

 May 11, at 7.30, 4 square inches; and at 1.30 p.m. 4 square 

 inches : total, 17 square inches. The refuse was remov^ed 

 May 11, and measured 3 square inches, leaving 14 square 

 inches as the amount consumed, or 4| square inches per 

 caterpillar. Three caterpillars, between the fourth and fifth 

 molt, were supplied with 18 square inches of lettuce at the 

 same date and hour, and on May 11, at7.30A.M., 9 square 

 inches were added; and at 1.30 p.m. 9 square inches more. 

 The refuse, removed at 4.30 p.m.. May 11, measured 5 

 square inches, leaving 31 square inches the amount con- 

 sumed by all, or 10^ square inches per caterpillar. June 26, 

 three caterpillars, between the last molt and pupation, were 

 given 20 square inches of lettuce leaf at 7 a.m., and at 

 5 P.M., 20 square inches more were added. At 7 a.m., June 

 27, the refuse was removed and soaked out. It then 

 measured 5 square inches, making 35 square inches that had 

 been eaten by the three caterpillars, or 11| square inches 

 per caterpillar. 



These figures give evidence of the food capacity of the 

 caterpillars, but it should be borne in mind that lettuce does 

 not ofier so much resistance to the jaws (mandibles) of the 

 caterpillar as do the harder leaves of the apple, oak and 

 others. 



Food Plants, 



A series of experiments was conducted during the part of 

 the season of 1895 that the gypsy moth was in the caterpillar 

 stage, for the purpose of determining so far as possible all 

 the plants this insect will feed upon. For this purpose col- 

 lectors brought in specimens of all the plants met with in the 

 fields and forests of the infested territory. To Mr. H. L. 

 Frost, a careful student of botany as well as entomology, 

 was assigned the work of determining these plants and carry- 

 ing out the details of the experiment. While the plants were 



