Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1898-08-24
STATE OF MAINE,
AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT
Ar-rIs,r Ana 1S 1909

AUGUSTA, Aug. IS, 1898.
To the Editor of The American:
Since writing you under date OF Aug. s.
we are in receipt OF samples of csterpillars
from Mr.. Jere Jordan, of Tilden, and Mr.
Asa NJ. Barron, OF West Ellsworth. These
are the caterpillars which have done so
much damage to the fruit and forest trees
in the vicinity of Ellsworth The sample
sent by Mr.. Jordan WAS the larva OF the
"fall web-worm". That sent by MIR. Bar
ron WAS the caterpillar OF the white
marked tussock MOTH.
These insects have not been reported as
doing very much damage in Maine. but
in Massachusetts they have done consid
cradle, and have attracted much atten-
tion. From Saunders "Insects Injurious
to Fruits we copy the following dc
scriptlon Of each OF these insects:
THE FALL WEB WORM.
H8phaHtria Tertor, Harris.
After the webs OF the tent caterpillars have
been carefully removed in the spring. and the
fruit grower i perhaps fatterug himself with
the idea that his troubles In this direction are
about over, towards the end of summer he may
be mortified To find his trees again adorned
with webs enclosing swarms of hungry cater.
pillars devouring the foliage. This Is the fail
wcb-worm, an insect totally different in all it,
stages from the common tent caterpillar.
The moth OF this species deposits her eggs In
broad patches ON the under side of the leaves,
near the end OF branch, during the latter part
OF May or early in June. These hatch in the
month of June, July or August; during the
earlier period In the warmer districts, and later
In the colder ones.
A. soon as the young Larvae appear they be-
gin 10 eat, and to spin web over themselves
Tor protection. They devour only the pupy
portions Of the leaves. leaving the veins aud
skin of the under surface untouched.
While young they are of pale yellowtsh
color sPartngiy hairy, with two rows of black
marks along the body. When full grown, they
are AN inch more in length. and vary greatly
In their markings; some examples are pale yell
low or greenish, others much darker and of a
blush black hue. The head is black, and there
T. broad dusky or blackI-h stripe down the
back along each side Is yellowish band,
speckled more or less with black. The body Is
covered with long straight hairs, grouped in
TUFTS, arising from email black OF orange vel
low protuaeranCc,, OF which there mum.
Der On each segment. The hairs sometimes
of "A dirty whlte with few black ones inter.
-persed, sometimes reddish brown, they are
long est towards the cNtrcmitie- OF the body.
Unlike the common tentcaterpillar-, these
lary.r do not wander from their nests To feed
until nearly full grown. but extend the web
over their whole feeding ground, constantly en-
closing fresh portions of the branch occupied,
until sometimes the covers a space several
feet long the whole enclosed portion having
a scorChei or wthered look, at II 1t had been
bnghted. " hen nearly nj their full growth
they suddenly abandon their social habits and
scatter far and wide. feeding on almost any
green thing they meet with. They are very ac-
tive, and run briskly when disturbed.
During September and October these caterpil-
lars descend TO the ground and burrow short
distance under the surface or creep under crew
ices of bark some such shc.tci above ground,
where they form slight cocoon If silk, inter
woven with hairs from their bodies. Within
these cocoons they soon change to chrysalids
Of a dark brown color. smooth, polished, and
family puuctated. with swelling about the
middle. In this condition they remain until
the following year.
The moth is of u milk white color. with spots
the antennr are gray, those of the male dvdbly
feathered below, those of the female with two
tawny yellow the feet blacklist brown. When
the wings are expanded they measure about one
and quarter iHehes across The moth flies
only at night
In the northern United States and Canada
there is only one brood of this insect in sea
son. but in the south it is frequently double
brooded, the first brood OF the larvae appearing
in June, the second in August. 1t is very
ba.
the leaves Of the plum, cherry, pear, hickory,
ash, elm, willow, oak. beech, buttonwood, grape,
currant, blackberry, raspberry and clover.
From their BIRTH the web spinning habits Of
these larya promptly lead to their detection,
and as soon seen they should be removed by
cutting OF the tNig or branch and destroying It.
If beyond ordinary reach, the branch may he
cut of by attaching pair Of pruning shears to