Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1859-04-29
The Caterpillar.

The tent CATERPILLAR (C2isiocampa
americana. has become famous for lis
ravHges; so great are they that it is neccss-
check its progress. and to do this we
must know the insect under all its
forms.
In the winter there NAV be sccn on
arp e trees. as well as on many others J
at the ends of the limbs. band of eggs,
covered with a shiny, VT r.procf var
nish, extending around the limb and
about one-half or three fourths of an
inch long; in this there are from three to
four hundred cylindrical eggs. standing
on end. When the leaves began to burst
forth, these eggs hatch. and from them
proceed the small caterpillars which
destroy those young and tender leaves
They mike for themselves white. .silvery
tent, in which they 60 forth for food; as
they 90 they spin from their mouths a
a fine white thread, which guides them
hack to their home and as they increast.
an size, still go over The same track, until
ell the leaves are eaten. In their repeat =
4 iIur news, the limbs get co,ted above
with silk, VIII ch when observed, can
often guide to a nest which otherwise
escape notice.
As the catcrpllars grow larger. they
increase their tent by adding layer upon
layer Of silk at httle distance apart. and
so large do they som otim"s make them
when undisturbad, that they will measure
six b. nine inches.
The fuil-grown caterpillar measure
about two inches in length, the head is
bl'ck; the body Is striped longitudinallv
With white, yellow and black, and in the
yellow are many fine black ones; it is
sparirgly covered with short hair, most
abundant on the sides. They leave the
trees in the first part of June, and seek
place sheltered from storms, in which
they spin their cocoons, which are of an
oval shape. ofa ycllowish white color.
caused by a powder that fills up the ere
vices between the teads of silk. From
the chrySalis, in July. came forth the
perfect insects: in this state they are
moths Of reddish brown color, with two
oblilue white stripes on each fore wing,
antennn are feathered, and tho thorax is
very hairy; they expand from one and
onc-half inches.
There are four states in which these
destructive insects may be killed First,
in the egg. By crushing the band of eggs.
but as the eggs are small. this cannot be
nractced to any great extent. Secondly
in the cate,pi ar. Various measures
have been advised to remove these pests
out the best that have tried is to brush
them off by means of conical brush
ma@e for the p1rpoSe, and then crush
them; this should be used early in the
morning, at noon. or at night. for the
caterpillarS are out in the forenoon and
afternoon only. Thirdly. in the chry-
sails; this is easy enough, for when you
find cocaon, crush it;,hcy are seen very
plenty under tops OF fences, and on
buildings under the thick part of the
shingles or clapboards Fourthly, in
the moth; the best way to kill them in
this state is to build fires in t.e places
infested by them, in July, before they
lay their eggs, for then they will fly
into the fire and ct burned.
How they would disappear if every
person killed every caterpillar he saw
crawling on the ground, or every cocoon
he saw sticking to u fence or building
n. F.. Farmer