Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-08
AGAINST THE Gypsy MOTH
Work of Massachusetts, for the Extermina
ton of the Pest.
Theme Discussed by DR.. l.. O. Howard
Before the Biological Society
of Warrington.


Society of Washington was given last night
in the lecture room of the Columbian Uni
versity by its president, DR.. l.. o. How
ard, Of the United States Department of
Agriculture and United States National
Museum. His subject was "A Great Ex-
pertinent in Economic Entomology; the
Work Of Massachusetts Against the Gipsy
Moth
Dr. Howard referred to government work
which has been performed in different parts
or the world against incursions of injurious
insects instancing the work Of Russia, the
French government in Algeria, the Argen-
tine Republic and the United States against
destructive grasshoppers and the work of
france against the grapevine phyiioxera,
comparing them, much to the advantage of
Massachusetts,, with the work which that
state has done during the past six years
against the gypsy moth. He gave an ac-
count OF the introduction of this injurious
insect from Europe in 1863 and of it's in
crease and spread, until, in 1889 il at
tracted widespread attention, and the state
began to appropriate money for its de-
struction. He described the work of the
various commissions and told of the great
success of the special committee OF the
state board Of agriculture, which has had
the work in charge for the last six years.
The State Appropriation.
The state has already appropriated s715,-
$50. DR.. Howard said, and the results down
to the present time have been very salts
factory. The insect was found in 1891 to
cover a territory Of DO square miles, and
through large portion of this territory it
has now become a scarce insect 1t still
exists, however, in considerable numbers
in the woodlands to the northeast of Bos-
ton, and work is now being concentrate
upon these large Colonies" as they are
called. The work is being done mainly by
destroying the eggs in the wintertime with
creosote oil, and capturing the caterpillars
In the summer under burlap bands placed
about the trunks of trees. In the woodland
colonies the underorush is thoroughly clear
ed up, the less valuable trees are cut down.
the surface of the ground thoroughly burn
ed over and the remaining trees are band
ed with burlap to catch the caterpillars
The steps in this remedial work were de-
scribed at some length.
The practical aspects of the attempt to
exterminate the insect having thus been de-
scribed, DR.. Howard spent some time in
treating OF the discoveries made in the
course of the work, which are OF scientific
interest. He mentioned especially the ex-
periments which have teen made in an
alyZing chemically the bodies Of caterpil-
lars which had fed upon leaves sprayed
with arsenical poisons, and showed that the
gypsy moth caterpillar is only slightly af-
fected by arsenic In fact, 4 full-grown
caterpillar will eat in proportion to its
arsenic as a man can eat before succumb-
ing to the effects of the poisoning.
Result OF Experiment..
Another interesting series Of experiments
was described which were made for the
purpose Of learning the exact facts regard
ing the peculiar power which the female
moths have of attracting the males from
a distance. Individual females were Gagged
in wire gauze cages and exposed in the
woods. Marked males were liberated ut
varying distances, and it was found that
such males found their way readily to
these Gagged females from, distances of half
4 mile. By painting portions Of the bodies,
Of both males and females with shellac, II
was practically determined that the males
learned the location of the females by
means OF their antennae through which
they perceived an odor given off by the
body of the female. This perception is pos
sible only through the odor being carried
by the wind. and males reach the females
only against the wind.
Dr. Howard showed that owing to the
ract that European insects flourish in an
extraordinary degree when once establish
ed In the United States, the attempt to ex-
terminate the gypsy moth is even more diff
ncult than an attempt to exterminate a ma
tive species, and that. after all, the main
feature Of biological interest in the work is
the success or non-success of the attempt.
Work of Great Difficulty.
To hold the insect in check would be COM
raratively easy. but to wipe it out of ex-
istence, to destroy the last individual cater
pillar. is work Of far greater difficulty
ard of extreme Importance. He had moth
ing but praise for the skill and ingenuity
displayed by the persons in charge of the
work and considered that the state of Mas
sachusetts had not only done a wise thing
In undertaking this task, but also a patrf-
otto thing, since il the insect were allowed
to spread it would in the course of time
do great damage to other states than Mas
sachusetts.
The lecture was largely attended by rep
resentative scientific men, and was illus
tlated by excellent colored lantern slides.