Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1915-05-05
THE TENT cATEnplLLAR.
Method Of Control Advised by AGri-
cultural Department


Method Of Control Advised by AGri-
cultural Department
The conspicuous, unsightiy nests OF the
tent caterpillar are familiar objects in the
spring In trees along roadwsys, strsams,
and fences, in neglected orchards. and
elscw here. Several methods OF checking
the depredations Of this caterpillar are
given in new publication Of the DEPART
ment OF agriculture, farmers bulletin No.
esq.
These gregsrious caterpiliars construct
the tents for their protection, and these.
At frat small, are gradually enlarged,
often to foot or more in diameter. the sire
varying with the number OF individuals
In the colony. The caterpillars iced upon
foliage Of the trees, stripping the leaves
from the. limbs adjacent to tho most, and
II there be several colonies In tree, o i
frequently the case, the foliage may b.
quite destroyed, lsaving the branches -
bare - in midwinter.
Species ofthe tent caterpillar are found
quite generally over tbs entire United
States. The moths deposit their eggs BY
early midsummer. By hall the embryonic
larvse Il practically full grown, within the
egg y here II remains until the following
spring. With the coming OF warm spell
the larvae escape BY gnawing through
their eggshells, often before there 10
foliage out for food, and under these cir
cumstances they may feed upon the Riuti-
-. - 81 ~.
The tent caterpillar feeds principally on
wild cherry and apple trees, but will at
tack many other plants, and where such
trees can be removed without disadvan-
tage this should be done, thus lessening
it, food supply.
During the dormant period OF trees.
when the leaves are on. the egg masses are
fairly conspicuous; and with . little
practice may be readily found; it Is then
that they should be cot OF and burned.
Trees infested with larvae during the
early part OF the year, or those in the Inn
mediate vicinity, are perhaps more likely
to be chosen by the parent Moth for the
deposition OF her eggs, and such trees Al
least should be searched il il Ia not
practicable to extend the work to the
orchard as whole. This work may be
combined with pruning to good advan-
tage, and . lookout should be kept not
only for the eggs Of this insect but for the
eggs and cncoons OF other injurious species
which pass the winter on the trees.
When two egg masses are deposited
close together, the resulting caterpiilars
may form q common nest. These nests
are gradually enlarged and soon furnish
ample protection. II the csterpiilsrs are
destroyed ss soon ~ the small nests are
detected, this will prevent further de-
be adopted to destroy them promptly ~
soon a. discovered. In this work either
Of two practices may be adopted, namely,
destruction by hand or with torch.
When In convenient reach, the nests
may be torn ont with Z brush, with
gloved hand, or otherwise, and the larvae
crushed on the ground, care being taken
to destroy any caterpiiiars which may
have remained on the tree.
The use Of . torch to burn out the nests
will often be found convenient, especially
when these occur in the higher parts OF
trees. An asbestos torch, such a. i adj
vertised by seedsmen, will be satisfactory,
or one may he made simply BY tying rags
TO the end OF pole. The asbestos or rags
are saturated with kerosene and lighted
and the csterpiliars 80 far a. possible
cremated. Some caterpiliars, however,
are likely to escape, falling from the nest
upon the application OF the torch.
In using the torch great care is neces-
sary that no important injury be done the
tree; 1t should not be used in burning
out nests except in thessinaller branches
and twigs, the killing of which would be
OF no special importance. Nests in the
larger limbs should b. destroyed by hand
a. the use OF the torch may kill the bark.
resulting in permanent injury.
Tent caterpillars are readily DESTROYED
by arsenicais sprayed on the foliage Of
trees infested by them. Any Of the arseni-
cal insecticides may be used, a paris
green, scheeles green. arsenate OF lead,
etc. The first two are used 1t the rate OF
ONE half pound to nifty gallons Of water.
Milk Of lime, from two to three pounds OF
stone lime. should be added to neutralixe
any caustic effect OF the arsenical on the
foliage. Arsenste of lead is used at the
rate Of two pounds to each fifty gallons Of
water.
Even in the small home orchard OF
dozen or more trees, 1t will be found
highly profitable to adopt . system Of
praying hich win control not only tent
calerpiiiars but such serious pests as the
codling moth, cankerworms. various bnd
| and af-feeding insects, which will
greatly reduce injury from the curculio.
On stone fruits, such a. cherry. reach.
ana plum ersenicals are likely to cause
injury TO foliage and must be used with
caution. u 1t all. On such trees the.
n;snass o. iesd = preferable, q it ID less