Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-04-11
FIGHTING THE MOTHS.

fiftes. the giasshopper wars of later
times. and the caterpillar horror of
about fifteen years ago. will be able TO
sympathlge with the people OF the New
England states in their present battle
against the gypsy moth and the brown
tailed moth recently imported from the
Old World into that part of the coun-
try.
The possibility of the practical con-
troll of the gypsy moth has been demon-
strated In Massachusetts. Seven of the
towns infested by this insect in 1898
have been freed from its presence. In
1906 the legislature of that state APP
proplrated $4,000 to the work of pre-
venting the spread of the pest, In
1865 the insect was brought to this
country by Prof. Leopold Trouvelot at
Medford, Mass, in his experiments in
silk producing. Escaping from him In
to the neighboring woodland, the insect
increased gradually for several years
before noticed. but In 1890 had become
such a serious pest throughout this
and neighboring towns that the state Of
Massachusetts commenced the arduous
task of its determination In 1890 the
insect had invaded some twenty towns.
from Cambridge on the south to Lex
ington on the west. and Reading and
Beverly on the north. This work was
ably carried ON by the Gypsy Moth
| Commission and the Massachusetts
| Board of Agriculture, who annually en-
ployed a small army of men in the
night and who expended up to 1900
| approximately a million and a quarter
| of dollars, As result, so few of the
moths could be found in 1899 and SO
| little damage was caused by the insect,
| that the legislature of 1900, probably
not realizing the necessity of contln-
uing control measures, stopped the
| work 1t is believed that If a small
annual appropriation had been made
\ and continued al this time, the future
! spread would undoubtedly have been
prevented and the control of the in
sect become more and more effectual,
though utter determination might never
| have been possible.
! The gypsy moth has been known as
| serious insect pest in Europe from the
| time OF the earliest naturalists, the
| first authentic record being in 1862. 1t
extends Throughout the continent of Eu-
rope, over much Of Asia and Into North
orn Africa, but is chiefly injurious in
Central and Eastern Europe. 1t fire.
quently does serious injury there by
defoliating large areas of forest and
more frequently fruit and shade trees.
| but its rtvages cease In two or three
seasons, not to occur again for several
years, like those of many of our ma
| tive insects such as the Forest Tent
| Caterpillar and Tussock moth.
| A bulletin just issued from the New
| Hampshire experiment station by r.
| Dwight Sanderson. director and en-
tomologist at Durham, gives a very
| fun account Of the work being done in
the attempted control Of the pest in
the several states infested by it,
The caterpillar Is shown to attach,
| all fruit, shade and Woodland trees,
with a preference for the apple. oak,
| willow and elm. But IL will devour
nearly every useful grass, plant.
flower, and shrub and kills both the
decidious and evergreen trees. In
residence districts il swarms upon
houses. walks, and verandas. and even
enters dwellings. Real estate rapidly
dopreciates In value wherever the
pest puts in an appearance.
It Is fortunate circumstance that
this scourge has numerous natural
enemies Several ground beetles"
writes Mr.. Sanderson, prey on the
caterpllars, while true parasitic in
sects attack both larvae and pupnne.
Several species of birds, notably vireos
and cuckoos. consume large numbers
OF the caterpillars while others like
the chewink, chickadee, blue jay and
crow, do their part in reducing the
numbers Of the pest" While he thinks
the service of these nature tree pro-
tectors worthy OF high praise, he con-
cludes that 10 control the moth the
main reliance must be placed on hui
man offorts--on the timely and thor
ough application OF the prescribed
remedial measures, A got the native
enemies have not shown ability to ma
tcrially check the increase Of the pest.
II Is well known that in Europe tho
insect Stems to be largely controlled
by It's natural enemies, go that serl-
Gus outbreaks occur but once IN
number Of years in any one locality,
In the Same manner rs do outbreaks
OF our native insects, such as the for
est tent caterpillar or white-markcd
tutsock moth, which are controlled by
native parasitic \ determined ef-
fort is therefor, now being made by
thc Massachusetts sup srintendent IN
cooperation With the Bureau Of En-
tumology OF the United states Depart
ipcnt of Agriculture. in importing
those parasites ana predaceous IN
socts which prey upon the gypfy moth
Ia Europe. Already immense num-
lors have been imported from an
parts Of Europe ana arc being care
fully reared IN strict confinement az
Melrose, Mass II IL the hope or ev-
,ryone that these importations may
result, within a few years. IN such an
Increase OF these enemies that they
win be able 20 control the gypsy moth.