THE GIPSY MOTH IN EUROPE. 
Porthetria dispar is an old and well-known European insect. It occu- 
pies the whole of central and south Europe, flourishing in temperate 
regions and extending its range across temperate Asia to Japan. It is 
found as far south as Algeria, into which country it is supposed to have 
been introduced in comparatively recent years, but does not abound 
in England, and, in fact, is a very rare species in that country. In 
portions of France, Germany, and Eussia it is considered to be an 
injurious insect of first-class importance. In the protected forests of 
these countries its ravages are occasionally excessive, while at frequent 
intervals the shade trees of the larger cities are completely stripped 
of their leaves. Few European insects have received more attention 
from the European foresters than this species. Books published as 
early as 1720 refer to its ravages. Judging from the European liter- 
ature it does not appear in equal numbers every year, but will be 
excessively abundant in a certain region 
for two or three years in succession, 
and will then remain in comparative 
obscurity for several years, just as is 
the case with other noxious species, not 
only in Europe, but in this country as 
well. 
So far as can be learned no large scale 
remedies have been adopted in Europe. 
The intermittent character of the appearances of the insect in injurious 
numbers render remedial work necessary only at intervals. Aside from 
removing the egg clusters by hand, trapping the caterpillars with bands, 
and preventing their access to uuinfested trees by means of sticky sub- 
stances, no remedies worthy of detailed consideration have been adopted. 
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Fig. 2.— Male Gipsy Moth— natural size 
(from Insect Life) . 
LIFE HISTORY OF THE INSECT. 
All through its European range the Gipsy Moth has but one annual 
generation, and this statement applies equally well to Massachusetts. 
The eggs are about one-twentieth of an inch in diameter and are laid 
in clusters, each cluster containing from 400 to 500 eggs and varying in 
size from one half to one and one-half inches in length and from one-third 
to one inch in width. Each cluster is covered with yellowish hairs from 
the body of the female moth, causing the cluster to resemble a bit of 
sponge in general appearance. These clusters are attached to the trunks 
of trees, to stones, to logs, and in all situations which can be reached by 
the females. The females have an especial propensity for crawling into 
crevices, thus frequently concealing their egg clusters from casual obser- 
vation. The eggs are laid in the latter part of summer and the insect 
remains in the egg state for nine or ten months. The caterpillars hatch 
from the end of April until the middle of June, reach full growth in 
the course of about ten weeks, spin flimsy cocoons attached usually to 
