FOOD PLANTS OF THE GIPSY MOTH IN AMERICA. 13 
BusuH Honeysucke (Diervilla diervilla [L.] MacM.). 
This is a very common shrub along roadsides and in waste places. Mr. H. 
W. Allen reports that it was not eaten in an infested area at Manchester, N. H. 
It is an unfavored species. 
Narrow Dock (Rumex crispus L.). - 
Mr. Bailey reports seeing first and second stage larvee feeding on this dock 
in Pelham, N. H. But little feeding was noted, however. It is an unfavored - 
species. 
AMERICAN HELpER (Sambucus canadensis L.). 
This foliage was used in trays for all stages of gypsy-moth larve up to and 
including the fourth stage, and but very few changed to the next stage. There 
was very slight feeding and no growth. 
Several observers have seen larvee on this species, but none note any feeding 
beyond a few pinholes or notches in edges of the leaves. It is an unfavored 
species. 
AMERICAN Him (Ulmus americana L.). 
All stages of the larve were noted feeding on elm, but usually to a limited 
extent. In heavily infested areas, where other species are completely de- 
foliated, the elm shows much feeding, but it does not appear to be a favorite 
food if other species are available. In the trays, adults were reared from 
larve started in the first stage on elm foliage. The growth, however, was 
slow and the feeding light. 
The preference for this food seems to have changed in the last 20 years. 
In the early nineties the elms were considered favored food. In the spring 
and summer of 1894 elm was the food used in nearly all the experiments car- 
ried on in the Massachusetts State Laboratory, then located in Malden, Mass. 
The larve fed freely on it and grew rapidly. In the trays in 1912 it was 
apparently distasteful to them and they were constantly searching for other 
food. ° 
ENeciisH Him (Ulmus campestris L.). 
Our only knowledge on this elm is from the tray experiments. The larve 
fed about the same on this species as on the native elm, but none reached the 
adult stage. A few reached the fifth stage that were started in the third 
stage. In the open they could probably develop from the egg to the adult. 
~ SLIPPERY Him (Ulmus fulva Michx.). 
Tray experiments show this to be an unfavored food plant. Few larve 
passed to the next higher stage while being fed upon it. 
Mr. Proctor notes slight feeding in the field in all stages where the iufesta- 
tion was beavy. 
Sweet FERN (Comptonia peregrina [L.] Coulter). 
Larve in all stages have been observed feeding on this shrub and in heavily 
infested localities defoliation has taken place. In spite of this evidence it is 
not a favored food, and if other species are present in considerable numbers 
the feeding is not usually heavy on sweet fern. 
Tray experiments show slow feeding and very little growth. But few larve 
passed to the next higher stage. 
