The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-08-05

Discovered In Trees In iha
Ninth Ward Of This City.


Prescott Reynolds. mn amateur cnto-
molosist. mado the extraordinary diD-
eovery a few days ago that the gyTayI
moth was located ON trees In Ward . of q
this city Mr. Reynolds Immediately inI-
formed Mr.. Sodthwlck. WHO has served
on the Stale Bosrd u Agriculture as cn-|
tomologist, OF his lind taking a spccimenI
10 him for Identification.
AIR souihwick confirmed MIR, Rcynolds|
In naming the specimen. and The lormerI
Immediately consulted Secretary stock
well OF the state Board as 90 what shoulGI
be done, MIR. Stockweil. sent the park1
curator 10 Boston ihat he might consult|
the authorities there. 80 much INTEREST,"
was shown by tho Massachusetts, authori-i
ties that they came TO bic city at once in|
order to investigate The situation.
Mr. Southwick. accompanied by theI
Massachusetts delegation called uponl
Acting Mayor Reynolds aud explained the|
situationeto him, urging that no delay Del
made In taking actious against the dan
gerous moth Acting Mayor Tteynolds]
authorized Mr. southwick TO take what
ever steps were necessary and the at-|
tention OF the city Council viii be called
TO the moth question as soon as possible.
An expert from Boston has been put toI
work upon the trees that are not farI
from the Dexter Training Ground sinceI
then the moth has been discovered in the|
Elmwood section.
MIR. Southwick said yesterday that he|
has been expecting the gypsy moth toI
make it's appearance in the city for someI
time. lie urges that owners OF private|
property be not allowed to interfere With
the men at work upon the trees on their
premises.
The gypsy moth has been In the stateI
OF Massachusetts, for several years, max
ing It's first appearance at Wrentham andI
vicinity. Massachusetts has spent up-I
wards of Sl,O0O,OoO trying TO exterminate|
Some facts of the gypsy moth are as
follows.
he gypsy moth has wide distribu-
tion I'm the old world, extending through
middle and southern Europe, western Asia
and northern Africa. reaching from|
Stockholm on the north TO Algiers on|
the south. England on the west and the|
Altai Mountains and the Caspian Sea on|
the east. The moth has done "A great
amount OF damage in various parts of
Europe.
The eggs of the moth as shown by the|
specimens In the hands OF Mr. Southwick.
are nearly globular slightly fiattered onI
the lower side, and generally hattened or|
depressed on the upper side They areI
OF "A dark salmon color when first laid
by they change into darker color. TheI
| egg appears to be smooth when examined
with lens. bat IL the shell be very care
fully removed and examined under "A half
IA oh ftas. tse1.a
hibits somewhat irregular hexagonal
marks over the entire surface except at
the centre OF the depression above.
The eggs are laid In the summer, soonI
after the moth emerbes. In oval andI
rounded clusters, usually containing FROM
400 to 800 eggs. while clusters have been|
found to contain 1000. The female covers|
the eggs, as she deposits them, with long|
yelowish hair. from the under side.
The female deposits her eggs In everyI
conceivable place, on the branchesI
and trunks of trees. often below the sur-|
face OF the ground. where IL has|
shrunken away from the tree I'm cavi-I
ties in trees or other concealed places|
under bark which has separated from|
dead branches, fence rails or loose boardsI
and tmbers Of barns or outbuildings.
The eggs OF the moth hatch i'm the|
spring, from the last OF April TO the midi
die OF June, depending upon the weather.
and the places i'm which they are depos-|
tied. The embryo develops very rapidly.
especially in warm temperature.
The larva when first hatched II very|
small. When caferpillars hatch I'm hol-|
low trees or other dark places they In
variahly find their way out I'm very|
short time. being attracted by the light.
II is said that the gypsy moth caterpillar
is almost omniverous 80 far as foliage is|
concerned. and its ability 20 adapt itself
to nearly every food plant is ono Of thel
chief obstacles 10 its determination. ForI
this reason also Il is capable OF commit
ting far great depredatio than any of
the common native insects.
The gypsy moth Is not noctural ardl
unless disturbed hut few males ny be-
fore In the morning. The female moth
has never been seen 20 fly IN this country
oxcent on one occasion and that was af-
ter the laying OF the eggs
Tho caterpillar destroys not only TIC
foliage Of trees, but also fruits and
vegetables.