Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-04-18
STATE HOUSE.
Obstruction Of the Caterpi||ars
Taken Up By Sec. McKeea.
Assessment Form Of Insurance is
Fast Losing Favor.
important Nominations Made Guides Writing
For Licenses.

| The following bulletin relative to the
| destruction of the caterpillars which
are now beginning to appear in differ
cnt parts Of the State has been issued
| from the office Of the State Board Of
Agriculture by Secretary l.. Walker
| Mckccn:
We not a general alarm in relation to
the possible Expectations of the forest
! tent caterpillar pest, the coming sea
son, particularly among those people
who are anxious to preserve the shade
| trees Of our city ana village streets
ana county highways, ana we give the
following statements as to the life his
| tory. the favorite foods. and the best
m, ans Of combating these caterpillars
These statements are gathered from
bulletins of various experiment sta
tons. which are on file in this office.
This caterpillar is considered ma
tive of eastern North America. It's
ruvages have been noticed for more
than 100 years. 1t first became scri-
Gus pest in orchards in about 1871.
There were no further serious out
breaks noted fer some years. The
most serious Gf these occurred in Maine
in 1853, 1867, 1874. 1879, 1889. 1898 and
1890
I'll, most complete list Of food plants
il ,iv"l W. Weed Of New Hampshire.
thy @re the apple, plum, hawthorn,
mountain ash, cherry. beech. birch,
ash. poplar, willow. maple horse chest
nut. walnut, currant, honeysuCkle elm.
pea. locust and Woodbino. In some To-
calitics they have been especially de
Structive t. poplar. oak. elm and sugar
naples.
The eggs are laid close together and
form bands which entirely cncircle the
tWigs. These egg masses differ from
those Of the apple tent caterpillar.
being much more abruptly cut off at
the edges. The covering also differs,
being of dull grey instead of brown
These eggs clusters were reported as
being much smaller than usual in 1890,
containing. as n rule, but about 200
eggs, while the average has formerly
b IN about 400. The females die within
few hours after completing oviposi-
ton
In this latitude the eggs are laid
during the last week in June and the
first half Of july. The young cater
pillars are fully developed within the
eggs before the summer is over, but
10 not leave them until the following
spring.
The catcrpillars begin to appear dur
ing the first days Of spring, and the
Matching continues for a month or
more.
When food abounds the caterpillars
will be full grown within six weeks.
but if they hatch before the leaf buds
have burst their growth will be retard-
ca by lack of food. Cold weather also
retards their growth DR.. Riley, in
American EntOmologist. says they are
able to fast for nearly three weeks and
ITO withstand any amount of inclement
weather."
During the first three or four weeks
the caterpillars remain in punches, but
when nearly full grown they scatter
about the tree. They eat through the
middle Of the leaf in such way that
the tip often drops to the ground, max
ing them more destructive than if they
devoured the entire leaf. They feed
mostly during the night. but to a linn
tied extent during the cool of the day.
The young caterpillars spin a thread
wherever they go. but seldom make a
true nest. When disturbed they quick
ly drop to the ground without spinning
q thread: this is sometimes done by the
older ones. 1T is said that this habit
accounts in part for the large num-
beers seen crawling up the trunks OF
infested trees.
The number of mouths is usually
four. The first and second moults VIII
be about eight days apart, the second
ana third Is days, the third and fourth
10 days.
The moth resembles those Of the APP
DE tree tent caterpillar, except that
me lines across the fOreWings are
dark instead of light in color. The
general color is buff with a broWnish
tingo y male moth of average size
spreads about / inch; a female rs
inches.
The caterpillars fall prey to many
natural enemies, which materially les
sen their numbers. These checks may
be named as birds, predaceous insects.
parasitic insects and diseases Birds
form one of the most important natur-
al checks to many noXious insects. 1t
| is a great pity that many of these
| birds are being rapidly killed off. me
farmer is thus rapidly being deprived
| Of one Of his most valuable allies IN
the fight with his numerous insect en-
cmies. We trust some united efforts
may be made to awaken the people to
| the necessity for protecting our BIRDS
| before it is too late.
The black capped chickadee feeds
lup,n the eggs during the;winter. They
have been found in their stomachs III
localities where the caterpillars We're
not abundant The yelloW-billed
cuckoo. Baltimore oriole, catbird ano
robin feed upon the caterpillars
Robins. chipping sparroWs, yellow
birds and English sparroWs are report
ed as feeding on the moth. There are
without doubt, many smaller bird:
which feed upon the young caterpillar
The caterpillars fall an easy prey Z
beetles and bugs. when crawling apou
unon or near the ground.
There are at least 10 varieties OF par
asitic insects which prey upon the cat
erpillar during the different stages o
its life history.
\ bacterial disease attacked many o
the caterpillars, last season, consider
ahIv reducing their numbers in som
localities.
The insect may be successfully com