THE FALL WEB-WORM. 
245 
growth and wander about seeking places for transformation from the end of August 
to the end of September. 
The following general remarks upon the different stages refer to Washington and 
localities where the same conditions hold: 
The eggs (Fig. 85, b). — The female moth de- 
posits her eggs in a cluster on a leaf, some- 
times upon the upper and sometimes on the 
lower side, usually near the end of a branch. _^ 
Each cluster consists of a great many eggs, \|||l 
which are deposited close together and in reg- 
ular rows, if the surface of the leaf permits it. 
In three instances those deposited by a single 
female were counted. The result was 394, 
427, and 502, or on an average 441 eggs. But 
in addition to such large clusters, each female 
will deposit eggs in smaller and less regular 
A 
Fig. 85.— Eyphantria cunea: a, moth in posi- 
tion on leaf laying eggs, side view ; b, eggs 
enlarged. 
patches, so that at least 500 eggs may be considered as the real number produced 
by a single individual. The egg, measuring 0.4 mm , is of a bright golden-yellow 
color, quite globular, and ornamented by numerous regular pits, which give it under 
a magnifying lens the appearance of a beautiful golden thimble. As the eggs ap- 
proach the time of hatching this color disappears and gives place to a dull leaden hue. 
The interval between the time of depositing and hatching of the eggs for the first 
brood varies considerably, and the latter may be greatly retarded by inclement 
weather. Usually, however, not more than ten days are consumed in maturing the 
embryo within. The eggs of the summer brood seldom require more than one week 
to hatch. 
Without check the offspring of the one female moth might in a single season (as- 
suming one-half of her progeny to be female and barring all checks) number 125,000 
caterpillars in early fall — enough to ruin the shade trees of many a fine street. 
'Z- 
^ 
C_:^ 
/ 
iA-\ t~~®% iiilCS 
! \ ' 
Fig. 86. — Hyphantria cunea: a, dark larva, seen from side; 6, light larva from above; c, dark 
larva from above; d, pupa from below ; e, pupa from side ; /, moth. 
The larva (Fig. 86, a, b, and c). — The caterpillars just born are pale yellow with 
two rows of black marks along the body, a black head, and with quite sparse hairs, 
When full-grown they generally appear pale yellowish or greenish, with a broad 
dusky stripe along the back and a yellow stripe along the sides ; they are covered 
with whitish hairs, which spring from black and orange-yellow warts. The cater- 
pillar is, however, very variable both as to depth of coloring and as to markings. 
Close observations have failed to show that different food produces changes in the 
