The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-10-26

IL WllApe lOuuuS 4ldC IL C81Heted win
silk-7nO individual moving an inch with
out such pathway, both fol-. the usesof
his companions and tnfacilitate his own
return. AL these caterpillars,,s therefore,
move more or less in professional order,
each following the road which the first
chance traveller has marked out with his
strip of silk carpeting."
Reanmer, who carefully studied the
habits of the species feeding upon the oak,
gives the following history Of his observa,
I brought an oak branch which was
covered with them into my study, where
I could much better follow the order and
have done in the woods. I was very
much amused and pleased at watching
them for many days. I hung the branch
on which had brought them against one
of my window shutters. When the leaves
were dried up, when they had become too
hard for the jaws of the caterpillars, they
tried to 20 and seek better food elsewhere.
One set himself in motion, q second fol-
lowed at his tail, third followed this
one, and So on. They began to defile and
march up the shutter, but being so
near to each other that the head
of the second touched the tail of the
first. The single file was throughout
continuous; it formed perfect string of
caterpillars OF about two feet in length,
after which the line was doubled. Then
two caterpillars marched abreast, but as
near the ones which preceded them as
those who were marching in single file
were to each other. After few rows of
our prOcessioaists who were two abreast,
came the rows of three abreast; after a
few of these came those which were four
abreast; then were those of five, others of
six, others OF seven, others of eight cater
pillars. This troop, so we'll marshaled,
was led by the first. Did it halt, all the
others halted did it again begin to march,
all the others set themselves in motion,
and followed with the greatest precision.
That which went on in my study
goes on every day in the woods where
these caterpillars live. When it
is near sunset, you may see one caterpillar
coming out of any of the nests, by the
opening which is at the top, which would
hardly afford space for two to come out
abreast. AS soon as it has emerged from
the nest, it is followed by many others in
single file; when it has got about two feet
from the nest it makes a pause, during
which those who are still in the nest con.
tinue to come out; they fall into their
ranks, the battalion is formed; at last
| the leader sets off marching again, and all
the others follow him. That which goes
on in this nest takes place in all the neigh.
boring nests all are evacuated at the same
time.
Figruer states that, in 1865, these cater
pillars were so abundant in the Bots de
BOulOgne that number of the alleys
were closed to the public in consequence
The hairs which grow in tufts upon thu
insects readily come of, and, if they pen
citrate the skin, create violent itching
hence, when the caterpillars are plentiful
they are to be guarded against as harm
full pest.
| The larva of the beautiful blue greer
beetle, called Calosoma sycop1santa, is ,
deadly enemy of the Professionally Cater
pillar. Instinct teaches it where to fine
its prey, and Reaumur asserts that h
never opened nest of the caterpillar
without finding from one to a half doze1
grubs of the beetle. Each grub will de
your several large caterpillars in day
therefore the havoc which they work in
community is most destructive. Thei
victims are defenseless, and as they cal
neither abandon the nest nor expel tn,
ravagers, their numbers are rapidly dc
pleted The Calosoma feeds upon tn
pupa as we'll as the caterpillar, and oftel
gorges itself until it is unable to stir. I
is valued friend of the forester; fol
were the Professionally Caterpillars t
multiply without restriction, they woul'
soon exterminate the trees which affor,
them food. -