INSECTS. 
75 
disappearance is stated to have been that they weretoomuchexoed 
to the powerful effects of the sun, in consequence of the plants being 
nearly destitute of foliage, and not protecting them from its dnect 
^ Colonel Benjamin F. Whitner, of Tallahassee, has also written an 
interesting article on the depredations of this caterpillar in that 
vicinity. S “In 1835,” says he, “the crops were entirely exempt 
from the ravages of the caterpillar. In 1836, it appeared by the 
firs? of oSbJ.but did no harm. In 1837 no mention is made 
of it These notes were made in Madison county, biorida. 
Colonel Whitner then moved to Leon county, in the same btate, 
where, in 1838, the caterpillar appeared early in August. I lie second 
brood stripped the plants by the 20th of September, and were so 
numerous that, after devouring the entire foliage, thev barked the 
limbs and stalks, and ate out bolls nearly grown. In 1839, they were 
e?s numerous, and appeared late. In 1840, they came out from the 
15th to the 20th of July, and, by the 6th of September, the plants 
were stripped of their leaves and young bolls, so that the entire crop 
was less than half of the average of other years In l^l th's cater; 
pillar was seen in Madison county from the 15th to the 20th of Au 
gust, and in Leon county between the 20th of August and the lst of 
Sentember. The loss was serious, comprising probably one-htth of 
the crop In 1842, no damage was done. In 1843, they appeared 
near Tallahassee on the 1st of August, and plantations were stripped 
bv the 15th of September. The crop was cut off from one-third to 
two-fifths by the caterpillar and storm. In 1844, the cotton-worm 
was found webbed up on the 13th of July, and by the loth ot Sep- 
tember some plantations were entirely denuded ; yet, m other parts of 
the county, the ravages were only partial. In 1845, there was no 
appearance of the caterpillar. In 1846, it was found webbed up by 
tfe 7th of July. The second brood began to web up on the 26th of 
that month ; and by the 20th, the parts of the field m which the worm 
was first seen were found to be eaten out, and the fly , the worms, large 
and small and the chrysalides, were discovered at the same time, a 
of things never observed before. By the 5 th of September, the 
damage amounted to a loss of more than one-half of the crop. In 
1847 although the fly was seen on the 16th of July, no injury was 
done to the crop. In 1848, it was but slightly injured ; but the year 
1849 was particularly marked by the ravages of the catei pillar, as 
well as that of 1852. 
Colonel Whitner further observes that these worms appear in suc- 
cessive broods, and accomplish the cycle of their transformations in 
from twenty-six to thirty days, which has also been corroborated by 
^^caterpillar hatched from the egg, under my own inspection, how- 
ever passed twenty days before webbing up ; but, as it had been kept 
in confinement in a cold room, most probably the growth was not so 
rapid as it would have been in the open air and exposed to the warmth 
of the sun. The skin was shed five times during the period ot its 
growth, and on the twentieth day, the caterpillar began its web. 
