Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1912-04-12
The Relation Of Birds to the Brown Tall
Moth and the Gypsy Moth.

tail moth and the gypsy moth have
made their appearance in the southern
part of Vermont, a discussion of the
above topic is timely.
The gypsy moth, porthia dispar
well-known pest in European countries,
was introduced into Medford, Mass by
Leopold Trovelot in 1859 The moth in
creased in such numbers that 1t soon be-
came a pest. In 1890, the legislature of
Massachusetts appropriated $4,000 for
the checking of its ravages. The state
board of agriculture was given charge of
the work in 1891, and over one million dol
lars was expended in the next ten years
In the attempt to exterminate the pest.
At the end of this time tne legislature
deemed 1t unwise to continue further
appropriations. Meanwhile towns and
individuals were fighting the pest at a
greater annual cost than that formerly
assumed by the state. In 1905 the legis-
lature was obliged to renew the fight
and appropriated 100000 for work
against this pest and another imported
pest, the brown tail moth, euproctis
chrysorrhea.
One man in Medford, Mass, has spent
over $4,000 to protect the trees on his
estate.
1t is a well established fact that
birds are of lnestimable value as in
sect destroyers. At a spread of the
brown tail moth and the gypsy mota is
lnlHllHeHl III our state, let us CONSIDER
what birds destroy these pests in the
different stages of the insects develop
ment. The life history of an insect
comprises four distinct stages: ~ the
egg, (2) the larva, or the caterpillar in
moths and butterflies, (3) the pupa or
cocoon, az the image or the perfect
winged insect. Different species of the
bird family destroy insects in all the
stages, but more especially in the egg
and larva form. Many birds eat the
caterpillars of the brown tail and gypsy
moth, but only a few have yet learned
to eat the eggs. The caterpillar of the
brown tail moth is provided not only
with long hairs but vita a coating of
short loosely attached hairs on the pos
terror part of the body, which are easily
detached, barbed like the quilts of a
porcupine, and so tenacious that they
will quickly work into the human skin,
causing irritation and an itching erup-
ton which lasts several days. 1t was
supposed that these caterpillars would
be distasteful to the birds, but it did
not prove so, as many birds eat them
with avidity. The egg clusters of these
two insects are covered with a fine yell
low hair which causes them to resem-
BILE a fungus growth often found on
trees. Most birds fail to recognize any
thing edible in these clusters. When the
birds in general learn to eat the eggs,
as they eventually will, an effectual nat
ural check upon these two pests will be
established Meanwhile birds are rem
dering a service of great value by de-
stroying the caterpillars of these moths.
The larvae of the brown tail moth hi
bernate in their nests in the curled up
leaves that remain on the trees all win
ter Some winter birds are already
learning to open these nests, taking the
contents therefrom. 1t will be remem-
bered that it is the caterpillar that
| strips the trees of leaves and destroys
| vegetation.
| Massachusetts, gives an extended and
detailed report of the food habits of
| birds in relation to the brown tail and
| gypsy moth. During the prosecution of
| the work against these pests by the
| Massachusetts state board of agriculture
more than 1000 men were employed,
| among whom 3S knew the common
| birds and the common insects and who
made written reports of their observa-
tons. The following extracts show the
| activity of birds in destroying caterpil-
| lars. The yellow billed cuckoo ate Al
| gypsy caterpillars in Is minutes; crows
| ate caterpillars as fast as hens pick up
corn; the bluejay at A gypsy caterpil-
| lars in Is minutes; yellow warbler took
| Is gypsy caterpillars in five minutes
| chestnut sided warbler ate % in II min
utes; rose-breasted grosbeak ate 81
| gypsy caterpillars in 20 minutes; scarlet
tanager took A in II minutes; crow
blackbird ate 40 in three minutes.
The following extracts refer to the
caterpillars of the brown tail moth.
Redstarts ate II caterpillars in five
minutes; black and white warbler de-
stroyed 2S caterpillars in 10 minutes
chickadee ate 81 in 7 minutes; blue jay
| at 30 caterpillars in five minutes; red
eyed vireo 43 in 10 minutes; black billed
| ,,-l.1
the moutlfuls; robins did the same.
Taking into consideration the full day
and the entire season, 1t is very evil
dent that the birds aided materially in
| checking the ravages of these two pests
4 throughout the state of Massachusetts,
1t has been found, however, that a
few birds aid in the spread of the
moths by dropping live caterpillars in
uninfected sections. 1t is probable that
the bird which Is most useful in de-
stroylng caterpillars and which feeds
! the largest number to it's young will be
the most likely to aid in the distribu-
ton of the moth. When the caterpillars
are present in large numbers they will
be carried farther and scattered more
widely by man and by domestic ami.
mails than by birds. All possible distri-
button by birds is of little Importance as
compared with the good they will do II
checking the increase of the moths.
Herewith is list or As species OF
| birds known to be the enemies of the
brown tail moth and the gypsy moth
having been observed eating or destroy
ing these insects in some stage of theil
existence. Twenty nine species of bird:
in this list destroy both the gypsy anC
the brown tail moth, II the gypsy only
and two the brown tail only: Yellow
billed cuckoo, black billed cuckoo, hairy
woodpecker, downy woodpecker, yellow
belled sap-sucker, flicker. kingbird
great-crested fy-catcher. phoebe, Woo
pewee, least fy-catcher, bluejay, crow
red winged blackbird, Baltimore oriole
crow blackbird English sparrow, chip
ping sparrow, field sparrow, song spar
row, chewink, ose-breasted grosbeak
indigo bunting, scarlet tanager, red-eye
vireo, yellow-throated viero, white-eye,
vlreo, warblng vireo, black and whit
warbler, golden-winged warbler, Nash
vile warbler, parula warbler, yellow
warbler, chestnut-sided warbler, black
throated green warbler, ovenbird, Mary
land yellow-throat, redstart, catbird
brown thrasher. house wren, white
breasted nuthatch, ed-breasted nut
hatch, chickadee, Wilson thrush. WOO
thrush, robin. bluebird.
Mr.. Forbush says: I'm so far as W
are able to take measures that will re
suit in increasing the number of Ger
tain birds just so far shall we be abb
to prevent the increase of destructiv
insects. AS time goes on, 1t is probabl
that the birds will become more an