The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-03-22
Gypsy Moths
/ Growing Scarce

WOSsih0 VOOlOV
The report of the Connecticut Ag-
sTcultiiral Experiment Station, which
tqcludeS the eleventh report Of the
state entomologist, Dr. w. E. Britton,
fer 1911, gives a summary of the work
which has been done for the past year
in fighting the brown-tail moth and
the gypsy moth in this state and
contains considerable Information con-
corning the leopard moth which is
faaking New Ravens old elms decay
The progress in controlling the gyp-
sy moth in Connecticut in 1911 is COW
cred by a report of w. E. Britton and
Donald ]. Caffrey. According to the
report the gypsy moth was first discov-
erred In Stonington in March, 1906. and
u colony was found In WalHngford In
Stonington says:
Mr.. Canrey, with two men. began
scouting for egg-masses on January
2, 1911. Mr. Rogers furnished one
scout. Mr.. Miller, who also went over
the same ground working part of the
with Mr.. Caffrey. Mr.. Miller found
three fragments Of egg-clusters under
the edge Of the lower stones of wall
near the ground short distance from
Mr.. Koelb's house. All three would
hardly equal one good-sized egg-mass,
one moth. perhaps disturbed in the act
It - not known whether or not these
eggs were fertilized. as they were at
once treated with creosote.
The summer work began May l, IN
charge OF Fred Hoadley. under direc-
ton Of the writer's Mr. Carney spent
several days In Stonington In June
scouting for caterpillars and inspect
ing the work. Three thousand I'VE
hundred trees were banded with bur ap
and about 100 with tanglefoot From
one to four men were employed. as
needed. A number Of tin patches were
applied to cover cavities. The bur-
lap bands were all removed and the
work for the summer ceased on Au-
Though this work was carried on as
IN former seasons, no caterpillars
could be found, and It looks as n the
pest had been exterminated from Ston-
4ngton. Further scouting has been
done there this winter. and no egg
masses found. but the region must be
examined with care next season to
The statistics Of the years work at
Wallingford are: Ezg-masses destroy
ed, q: caterpil1ars DESTROYED, 1851; CO.
coons destroyed, Is: adults DESTROYED,
,; trees banded with burlap. 1855:
trees sprayed, not including shrubs,
11s: trees infested, 216. This record
shows that the infestation is decreas-
ing, because the record for 1910 shows
that S.234 egg-masses. 1886 caterpillars,
and ninety-six cocoons were Destroy
ed.
BROwN-TAIL MOTH
The brown-tail moth was discovered
In Putnam and Thompson in the
spring Of 1910. DR.. W. E. Britton and
Donald J. Caffrey In their report say:
The result OF the work In this Sec
fion shows that the brown-tail moth, In
tho course Of Its natural spread from
the adjoining infested area in Massa-
chueetts and Rhode Island, has estab-
dished itself in the towns Of ThOmp-
con, woodstock. Putnam. Pomfret and
part of Killingly In Connecticut. A
total Of 1888 nests were found and de-
stroyed In these infested towns, OF
which 112 were In Thompson, 937 In
woodstock. $3.50 in Putnam. eighty
nine in Pomfret and six in Killingly.
Though 1t will be impossible to Grad
fcate the brown-tail moth. as can be
done with isolated colonies Of the gyp-
sy moth, the former can be more read
Nv controlled, ard by careful work pre-
vented from doing any serious dam
age.
Colored placards were issued giving
illustrations and Information regard
ing the insect, and the cards were post
ed In. public places, such as libraries,
throughout the state.
The previously infested towns will
be secuted again this winter, and all
nests found will be destroyed. 1t is
also planned to examine the surround
ing towns and those along the boun-
Diary lines Of Massachusetts and
Rhode Island, to determine any fur
Their spread of the insect.
LEOPARD MOTHS.
A report is given by w. E. Brftton
and G. A. Cromie, superintendent of
trees In New Haven, concerning the
leopard moth, which is destroying elms
and feeds on nearly all the deciduous
trees. Remaining in the wood during
the greater part of it's life, it is rare
ly seen by the casual observer, and for
the same reason no general and con-
venient methods OF controlling are avail
able as in the case of insects which
eat the foliage. At the present time
1t Is found from Asbury, N. j., to Law
renee. Mass, but it has not been ia
ken more than twenty-five miles in
land. The report says:
The moths appear about July 1, the
males being very common around cleo
trio lights, and the females lay eggs
singly or in groups of two, three or
four, in the crevices of the bark or
near the buds. The larvae, Matching in
a few days, begin to tunnel in the
twigs. and by the end of the season
are ABOUT one incn IN leHSIn- Iney
leave the small branches and crawl
over the bark to enter larger ones cut
ting large galleries in them and ex-
pelling the grass through round holes,
which they soon close with silk woes.
During October the borers go deeper
into the wood, and remain through the
winter two inches or more beneath the
bark. They pupate in their burrows
the second spring, and before the moth
emerges the pupa works itself partly
out Of the opening and the adult
flies away. leaving the empty case pro-
truding from the burrow.
There are few natural checks only
one parasite being known in this coun-
try and four in Europe. 1t is believ-