The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-04-29
CONTROL OF TENT CATERPILLAR.
Arsenicals the Most Effective Remedy
Against This Pest

NV ''HeplNuouht hnsiEhtly H'stH VI
tents OF the apple'tree tent caterpillar
are familiar objects in the spring il
trees along roadways, streams and fences
in neglected orchards, and elsewhere
Several methods of checking the depre'
dations OF this caterpillar are given in
a new publication OF the department OF
agriculture, farmers bulletin No 862.
These gregarious caterpllars construct
the tents for their protection, and these
at first small, are gradually enlarged
often to a foot or more in height and
diameter, the size varying with the num-
Der OF individuals in the colony. The
caterpillars feed upon the foliage OF the
trees, stripping the leaves from the limbs
adjacent to the nest, and il there be
several colonies in tree, as is frequent
ly the case during periods of abundance,
the foliage may be quite destroyed, leav-
ing the branches as bare as in midwinter.
Species of the tent caterpillar are
found quite generally over the entire
United States. The moths deposit their
eggs by early midsummer, or earlier in
the south. BY fall the embryonic larye
is practically full grown within the egg,
where it remains until the following
spring. With the coming of warm
spell, tis> larve escape by gnawing
through their egg shells, often before
there is foliage out for food and under
these circumstances they may feed upon
the glutinous covering of the egg mass.
Methods of Control.
The tent caterpillar feeds principally
on wild cherry and apple trees, but will
attack many other plants, and where such
trees can be removed without disadyan-
tage this should be done, thus lessening
its food supply.
! During the dormant period of trees,
when the leaves are off, the egg masses
are fairly conspicuous, and with a little
practice may be readily found; ID is then
that they should be cut off and burned.
Trees infested with Larvae during the
early part of the year, or those in the
immediate vicinity, are perhaps more
likely to be chosen by the parent moth
for the deposition of her eggs, and such
trees at least should be searched if it is
not practicable to extend the work to
the orchard as whole. This work may
be combined with pruning to good ad-
vantage, and lookout should be kept
not only for the eggs of this insect, but
for the eggs and cocoons OF other injuri
GUS species which pass the winter on the
trees.
When two egg masses are deposited
close together, tbs resulting caterpillars
may form a common nest. These nests
arc gradually enlarged and soon furnish
ample protection. If the caterpillars are
destroyed as soon as the small nests are
detected, this will prevent further de-
foliation of the trees, and the rule should |
be adopted to destroy them promptly as
soon as discovered. In this work, either |
of two practices may be adopted, namely, |
destruction by hand or with a torch.
When in convenient reach, the nests |
may be torn out with a brush, with |
gloved hand, or otherwise, and the Larvae |
crushed on the ground, care being taken |
to destroy any caterpillars which may !
have remained on the tree.
The use OF torch to burn out the
nests will often be found convenient,
when these occur in the higher
parts of trees. An asbestos torch. such
as is advertised by seedsmen, will be
or one may be made sim
ply by tying rags to the end OF a pole.
The asbestos or rags are saturated with
kerosene and lighted and the caterpillsrs
as far as possible cremated. Some cat
erpillars, however are likely to escape,
falling from the nest upon the applca-
ton OF the torch. In using the torch,
great care is necessary that no impor
tant injury be done the tree; it should
not be used in burning out nests except
in the smaller branches and twigs, the
killing of which would be of no special
Importance Nests in the larger limbs
should be destroyed by hand. as the use
Of torch may kill the bark, resulting
N permanent injury.
Spraying with Arsenicals.
Tent caterpillars are readily destroyed
~ arsenicals sprayed on the foliage Of
trees infested by them. Any of the ar
,enical insecticides may be used, as paris
green, seheeles green, arsenate of lead,
tie The first two are used at the rate
If 4 pound TO 90 gallons Of water. Milk
IT lime. from two to three pounds of
,tone lime should be added to neutralize
my caustic effect of the srsenical on the
oliage. Arsenate of lead is used at the
ate of two pounds TO each 80 gallons OF
water.
Even in the small home orchard Of a
lozen or more trees, IL will he found
tightly profitable 10 adopt a system OF
praying which will control not only
ent caterpillars, but such serious pests
i the coddling moth. cankerworms. va
ious bud and leaf feeding insects. and
which viii greatly reduce injury from
be curculio.
On stone fruits. such as cherry. peach,
nd plum, srsenicsls are likely 90 cause
injury to foliage and must b. used with
aution. II a. all On such trees. the
rsensts Of lead il preferable, as u il
as injurious 10 foliage. and on all trees
ticks much better. In spraying for the
ent caterpillar only. applications should
= made while the catepillars are yet
mall. az these succumb more quickly a.
oisons than those more nearly iull \
roWn. and prompt treatment stops fur
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