New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-08-13
TIE CATERPILLAR PLA GUE.
SERIOUS RAvAGES IN CENTRAL PARK.
GREAT NUMBERS OF THE TREEs OvERRUN WITH
THE PESTS.

GREAT NUMBERS OF THE JRELS ONEkhUN Win
THE PESTS
Superintendent Aneurin Jones. of Central
Park has recently put himself in communication with 8.
Lowell Elliott, the young entomo0gst, who has paid
so much attention to the breeding of lepidoptera. Com
missioner Oine recommended him to take that course
as was becoming plain TO every that whole dis
rct OF the Park seriously mensced by the ravages
OF the caterpllars. Men had been for some time EN-
ployed combat the Orgyia Leucostgma and their e1-
had revealed tie fact that there were other foes
OF the caterpillar kind more dangerous than the orgy
So "A fe days ago Sir. Jones made short tour OF the
northern part OF the Park the eastern side where the
nurseries OF young situated In company Win
Mr.. Elliott, who had no difficulty In convincing hin
upon two heads, namely. the immense present and
prospective peril to certain shade trees and the fact
that unframed hands could do little good Discipline by
some one VIII what look for and where to look
was needed. IL became clear that the men VINO were
trying to destroy the "orgy" were wasting their time
brushing of from which the moth had burst It's
way and which csntained nothing aud allowing to es-
cape their attention the dangerous bunch OF eggs from
which the fall brood will hatch out In five or SIX weeks
and In the case OF the terrible DataDa "mnch more To
re feared than any caterpillar plaguethey dscov-
readily the big fellows when they had stripped that
portion OF the tree which they were feeding but dd
not disco the broods Of young arv9 just Matched
out and collected single leaf They therefore were
cutting away at the small branches when with good
trimming 1t would lie sufficient to remove single leaf
Mr. Jones expressed himself convinced OF the necessity
scientific assistance and It is probable that some ar
rangement OF the sort Will he made
TRIBUNE reporter visited the part OF the Park
with Mr. Elliott and OF the young assistants whom
he has trained to aid him In bis search for caterplars
In the region OF the nurseries flower garden around
the ruins OF the old Mount ST. Vincent building there
not hickory, nor Duternut, nor walnut nor an
oak nor beech that not infested by the Datana-
Mr. Elliott sad This wretch is one of the problems
that have puzzled entOmologiss Only five species have
been noted in any published work. but Mr.. Harry
Edwards and myself have noted twelve and the subject
is so important that propose to publish monograph
with coorcd plates giving the fullest instructions TO
and all others interested IN shade and fruit trees
concerning the life OF the pest his transformations his
Of behaving IN each Of them. and the best meth
Oh of eItirpatng him. As all the species OF the
Datana injurious forest trees used for shade and
to fruit trees unnecessary specify them There is
only one brood by the provision nature prevent
the exrpaton of this pest the hroods cone out at n
teryals r III July 10 october. The eggs laid by the
female moth upon leaf secured by avsci secretion 20
Il twig keep Matching out at intervals upon the same
tree 20 that hnd az the same time eggs un-
hniched eggs just latched caterllas in every of
their Eve stages-ior they shed their skin five times
and full grown osterpilars descending the trunk to
pupate become pnpas in the ground st tho foot
OF the From July 10 october these processes go on
without any stop. for bird viii touch the Datana-
The CaterpArs either black with yellow stripes or
yellow with black stripes, and have dark red patches
upon The head and body. Their legs also are red We
have process by which blow hot blast through
the usde OF the caterpillar drying mp the ntestines and
turning the creature lnto mummy, these are tnen
OF which have Two thousand ! have hundred
thousand caterpillars Of the Daana which TOOK FROM
single tree In Central Park and believe am correct In
ayng tnat II measures not taken To eIirpate hem.
they will extrpate tue trees which they attack In this
section of the Fark"
Nc Elliott now advanced toward walnut tree which
a.. Hff.A IN I..I
leaves hnd caterpillar droppinga put suddenly ne
stopped m front OF foe magnolia arranged his appa-
ritus for cutting down twigs, aud with dexrous twist
caterpillar with huge head aud curious eyes WAS feed
Turuus destructive TO magnolias and tnlp trees. and
ye.y active about this time The butterfly is the mag
Ityidnal Th. bHmped mass with these eve marks il
only false head under which the true Ia secreed;
like the hea! Of tortoise, II Is pushed out aud n We
with his finger Mr. Elliott then proceeded TO punch Mr.
PapiO Turnus first side OF bis false head, then
ON the other Thu Insect supported the outrage for
somn lime and wncn he conld bear IL no longer small
he al of russell poked OUT aud then two orange
oolored appendages like the horns OF antelope
pushed out gradually length OF more than half an
inch. each OF the ends rose "A bubble OF some
SiS S yo " smell .t the " musk -sksd Mr. Elliott
said the reporter NOT musk but much more pleasing.
something IKE faint odor OF magnolia; Ah,' an,
swered VI Elliott, you nave probably keener nostril
than most people. Enlonoogsts call t mlsky smell
The leaf and caterpillar were handed to the assistant
whO deposited them OF the numerous receptaces
Tor such girt about his person. aud advance
made to the walnut tree with the disgusting webs
Here" said Mr. Elliott Is plague called the lily
phantra TeItor whioD has generally confined itself 10
apple and cherry and other fruit but this
year in consequence Of excessive numbers II has over
flowed upon wauuts and hckories These pests nclose
themselves wen protect themselves from birds and
parasites II you yet under the web, To project II
against the sky. you will them. They gathering
together In "a mass 10 change their SKINS which Is
REGULARITY OF Daana also. II they thought that being
massed together would protect them. When the old
skins AM he ads have dropped on they will migrate 10
another aud will incloso more leaves ana In this
fashion tTeo metmes covered Win these hideous
Besides the TeIOr there are also two other
species which prefer forest shade trees and shrubs.
THESE Guinea and Punctata. These very danger
GUS for they asphy tree which beathes through
the stomata OF it, leaves These Hyphantras remain
from May to October. They come early and they go
late Besides the typhanrias other caerpilars building
webs the Csiocampas, OF which there are two
species, the Americana ana tho Dsstra The first is
destructive 10 fruit trees especially to apples ana
cherries, which be covered with them. They
very early. brooding in May. Another webbing
caterpillar Is the Ichthyusa ncusa OF which there
brOods, one In summer In fall These feed
in this Park not making webs tho Ansaa of which
there four species. which feed oaks, naples ana
other decduous trees Then there IL the beautiful Va
Ant0pa, that has special fondness for tho elm
but Is this year in destructive mbers. Still the great
TO the elm Is the arva OF coeopterous insect
the striped em-beetle, which Is now making Its way
from Astoria to the Central Parg and TO tho Brooklyn
Park As early the beginning OF last month this hend
all the elm Astoria OF leaves
and 1t doubtful IL they will be alive next The
fact that unless constant vigilance ia exercised there
Is always danger To fruit aud shade trees for bird
will touch OF these and Others know how protect
themselves"