New-York tribune., 1901-09-01
WAR ON THE TUSSOCK.
NATURE AND HABITS OF THE INSECT
THAT is ATTACKING THE PARKS.

THAT is ATTACKING THE PARKS.
,rn. s,sqe of the CITY park and bouIevards by the
tpssoclx caterpillars shows little abatement Cen
tral Park is stil holding out courageously against
the enemy but IN other piaces-UniOn Square, Tor
example-the army Of occupation has areaoS ooie
frreparable damage TO the summer green
A number Of facts regarding the nature and hao-
its Of the invader have been furnished by william
BeutenmuLer curator Of the department OF ehto-
ynologv at the American Museum OF Natufal MS
sorv The cause OF the present scourge is the
caterpillar of the white spotted tussock moth'
known also as the vaporer moth on account OF d
frothy substance covering the egg masses or oy us
Latin name. Orgyta Leucostigma. Thls moth Is
prevalent along the Atlantic Coast from Cahaua 70
Florida and as far west the Rocky Mountains
II has never been found the Pacific slope Ihe
snecjes was first described in 1877 by the Enslsh
entomologists Abbot and Smith. In thelr "orA oi'
.aThe I,eoidopteuOus Insects OF Georgia
The caterpillar measures about one and nan
80 N length though the male is somewhat
smaller than the female. 1t is of a bright ye4ioW
color with velvety black stripes along the back ana
on each side. The fourth fifth. sixth ana seFenln @
,onts of the body marked by brushhKe
punches Of whitish hairs. On each side OF the
first 5oint IS a long tuft Of black hairs or pencils.
and another the last Joint There are also scat
tered over the body numerous short and long mars
arising from tuberclelike warts. Inc heao Is
coral red
1T SHEDS ITS SKIN FIVE TIMES
The caterpillar SneQS us Shli hNt tAAiSS SN4N-N
reaching maturity. After fl is fully fed 1t spins
a loose cocoon composed Of silken threads inter
woven with lis own hairs II then transforms IT.
self into a chrysalis pupa whence energes the
perfect insect
The male moth. measuring about one inch across
she wings IS Of a stone gray color. with darker
yyavv transverse lines and a white spot near the
hind angle Of the fore wing. The antenne are
featherlike The female OF the species Is wing
less and OF a dirty whitish color. After emerging
che racTE af0nD
where the eggs are laid in mass covered with a
white frothy substance. Each mass contains sew
eral hundred eggs.
T-he fact that the hairs Of the caterpillar on
touching human skin cause a burning sensation
has given rise 10 the wholly erroneous BELIEF that
caterpiIiars sizing.
in this region the species produces Two nrooos
successivey so that, like the poor. the caterpillar
IS always with us-at least up to cold weather.
Tho first brood appears in May, and the moth con-
tinues on the wing tin late in the fan
The caterpillar of the tussock moth is found on
cd trees except pines and other conifers Its IA
vorIte diet however, is the leaves OF the elm the
maple and the horse chestnut Where these trees
are found IN abundance oaks 60 comparatively iree'
This has been shown in Central Park
THEIR MORTAL ENEMIES SCARCE.
Some years the caterpilars much more abun-
DAM than others. The severity Of the present in
vasion is attributed somewhat 10 climatic conoi-
tions and particularly to the absence OF the para
sites OF the caterpillar The exact influence OF
climate on the pest is not at present understood
but the unusually open winter this year IL Is sup
nosed had much 10 do with the scourge.
The PARASITES Of the tussock moth include the
small Nv Of the Tachina family and the small wasp
OF the IchneumOnide family.
The best method according to Ar. Beutenmuller,
OF combating the scourge is the method OF pre-
Ventiou In winter all egg masses ought 20 be re-
moved from the trees and destroyed Great care
must be taken. however. not 10 remove cocoons
that do not contain egg masses and do contain the
benecent parasites. If trees are treated afer ms
manner they viii remain clean through the follow
ing summer. unless the caterpiars themselves 4fes
noted. cannot NY In order 10 keep cateTpilla,rs
trunk with band OF heavy paper, srneareo Win VII
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS traupenleln). as the Ger
sort Of encircIng hood about the trunk, containing
some receptacle toT herosene IN oSh s6sett Ise i5
the the gypsy moth.
TO KILL THEM on TREE.
II the caterpillars have actually captured tree
the only course is kill them Il. The best way
Is 10 spray the tree from force pumps with a
mixture consisting of one pound Of London purple
or OF Paris green. six pounds of lime and four
pounds OF wheat -four. mixed IN about hun
nred gallons Of water. Another good mixture
IN use by the Department of Parks IS a kerosene
emulsion, composed or SIX pounds OF soft soap and
four quarts OF kerosene cooked In two gallons Of
Of water. To this compound is sometimes added
carbolic acid. In using the first spray some care
ure strong the tender foliage Of the trees
especially in spring. be burned
In the extraordinary prevalence Of the white tus-
sock moth people have lost sight of the fact that
numerous other kinds OF caterpillars are also con-
spring against the beauty Of the parks There is.
for instance, the fall web worm-I1 yphantua Guinea
THAT makes the great webs each Of which shelters
hundreds OF worms. IN all kinds OF forest trees.
This caterpillar, fortunately, Is readily seei and
infested branches may be cut OF and burned Tho
bagWOrm-ThyridOpte ephemerseformis-is an
other kind intesting all roots OF trees that be
easily removed
MORE DEADLY MOTH
An enemy more deadly IN Its attack is the I'm
ported wood leopard mOth-Zeuzera pyrena-
brought 10 this country from Europe some for
eign trees probably. It burrows IN the branches
and under the bark Of trees and is accordingly not
easy Of access The best way kill this pest IS tc
get al the bor1ngs and pour few drops Of bi
sulphide Of carbon into the entrances of the
galleries, and then seal them. Infested branches
may also be of and burned.
Under the circumstances II is a pleasure TO learr
that another enemy the imported elm leaf moth
is not abundant this year. and that the dreaded
gypsy moth has :hus far confined depreciation
TO Massachusetts
COPPER FOUND IN BUTTE SILVER NINE