34 
The eggs to the number of 400 to 500 are deposited in clusters attached 
to trees, fences, etc. Each cluster is covered with yellow hairs from 
the body of the female, which causes the mass to resemble a piece of 
sponge. The caterpillars hatch from April to June, and feed vora- 
ciously on the leaves, mostly at night. The full-grown caterpillar is 
about 2 inches long, of a grayish, mottled appearance, with the tuber- 
Fig. 24. — Porthetria dispdr. Larva. (Howard.) 
cles on the anterior part of the body blue, and those on the hinder part 
of the body red, all giving rise to long yellow and black hairs. When 
the caterpillars are about half grown they, begin to crawl down the tree 
to the ground in early morning, and ascend again for feeding in the 
B3 7 Jul} 7 they are ready to pupate in a thin cocoon fastened 
Fig. 2b.— Porthetria dispar. Chrysalis. (Howard.) 
to the trunk of the tree, to a fence, or other convenient object. The 
pupal period is about ten days, and the moths issue in August. 
The female moth has whitish wings with several black spots, notably 
around the outer margin. The male is brownish, with darker undu- 
late lines and spots. The gipsy moth attacks almost every sort of tree, 
and there is but one brood a year. 
