362 



THE GYPSY MOTH. 



It was repeatedly demonstrated, in different towns and 

 with different traps, that they can be handled much more 

 easily and will capture more males when hung low, or placed 

 near the ground, than when they are placed high in the trees. 

 The gum, when made in the proportion given above, runs and 

 drips in hot weather and in the warm sunshine, more on the 

 tin than on the wooden traps, so that great care was required 

 in placing them in certain localities near residences, lest the 

 dropping gum should do harm. The adhesive power of this 

 gum is remarkable. Two young birds were caught on the 

 foot board of the tin traps in Maiden. They were both dead 

 when found, and showed evidence of desperate efforts to 

 extricate themselves. In the struggle they had pulled out a 

 large quantity of feathers, and, in the case of a half-grown 

 English sparrow, which lay upon its side with the head 

 directed from the trap, the feathers adhered so firmly that 

 the bird could not be pulled off without tearing the body 

 apart. Careful observations showed that at least ninety per 

 cent, of the male moths were captured on the foot board. It 

 was also found that where the moths are abundant the traps 

 can be used advantageously within ten rods of each other, or 

 in adjacent lots. 



The essential point for the successful working of a moth 

 trap is to have the female well exposed on all sides, so that 

 the wind may pass freely over her body, and carry the odors 

 away without obstruction in any direction that the air may 

 be moving ; and, at the same time, she should be sufficiently 

 protected to insure her existence as long as possible. The 

 average length of life of unfertilized female moths, in the 

 wooden, four-leaved traps, was seven days. One female 

 moth, put into the trap July 31, was alive August 9, but 

 was dead at the time of the next visit, August 11. Another 

 female was put into a trap August 1, and died August 11. 

 In some cases the n>oths put into the traps were caught in 

 the gum, which worked in at the bottom of the cans, and 

 died in a day or two. In the tin traps the female moths did 

 not live more than two or three days, and those in the old 

 wooden box traps used the year previous did not live any 

 longer, seldom exceeding two days. 



In some instances, when there were no unfertilized females 



