The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1915-04-30
Control For. The Caterpillar

WASHINGTON, April 29.-The con
spicuous. unsightly neste or tents OF
the apple tree tent caterpillar are fa-
miliar objects In the spring in trees
along roadways, streams. and fences,
in neglected orchards, and elsewhere.
Several methods OF checking the de-
predations of this caterpillar are
given in a new publication of the
department of agriculture, Farmers
Bulletin No. 662
These gregarious caterpillars con-
struct the tents for their protection,
and these, at first small, are gradu-
ally enlarged often to foot or moro
in height and diameter, the size vary
ing with the number of individuals
In the colony. The catcrpilIars feed
upon the foliage of the trees, strip
ping the leaves from the limbs ada
cent to the nest. and II there be sew
cral colonies In a tree, as is frc-
quehtly the case during periods OF
abundance. the foliage may be quite
| destroyed, leaving 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 fail the
embryonic larvae is practically full
grown, within the egg where 1t re-
mains until the following spring.
With the coming of warm spell the
larvae escape by gnawing thrcmgh
their egg shells. often before there
Is foliage out for food. and under
Ose circumstances the may feed up
on the glutinous covering Of the egg
mass.
l.l 1Eetheds Of Control. go.
The tent caterpillar, feeds princi-
pally on wild cherry and apple trees,
but will attack many other plants,
and where such trees can be remov-
ed without disadvantage this should
be done, thus lessening its food sup
ply. t
During the dormant period OF trees,
when the leaTles are of. the egg
masses are fairly conspicuous. aud
Wit4aG1little practice may be readily
found; 1t is then that they should bt,
cut OF audd burned. Trees infested
with laryas' 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 IL II is
not practicable 20. etxeud the worR
to the orchard as a whole. This ssRosk
may DO combincd with pruning to
good advantage. and lookout should
be- kept not only for the eggs of this
inject but for the eggs aud COG coons
or other injurious species which pass
the winter on the trees.
When two eggs masses arc deposit
cd close together, the resulting cater
pillars may form common nest.
These nests are gradually enlarged
and soon furnish ample protection.
II tthe .caterpillars are destroyed as
soon as the small ness are detected,
this will prevent further defoiiatioa
OF the strees, and the rule should
DO adopted TO destroy them promptly
ss soon as discovered. In this work
either OF two practices may be adopt
ed, namely. destruction by hand or
with q torch.
Wen dn convenient reach. the
nests may be torn out with q brush.
With Eloyed hand. or otherwise, aud
tho larvae crushed on the ground,
care being taken to destroy any cat
erF'illars which may have remained
va NtAC ~ co.
The nhe Of A torch to burn ont the
hests Will often ho found convenient.
especially when these occur il the
higAer parts OF trees. An asbestos
torch, such as ia advertised hy see.is-
men,. win be satisfactory. or one may
be made simply by tying rags to the
and Of q roie. Tho aahestos or rSgs
are saturated With Kerosene ai.4
lighted afsd the catcrpilIars as far as
possible eremated. 6olas caterpillars
lioweger, are likely to escape, railing
from the nest upon the application OF
the. torch. IN using the torch GREAT
care Is necessary that no important
injury be done the tree: e should NOT;
be used In burning out nests excens
u the sznaller branches and twigs,
the kiIsng OF which would be of no
special Importance. Nests IN the
larger limbs shouid be- destroyed Nv
hand. as tie use of the torch nav
injury.
asAying VIA Arsshfeals:
Tent caterpiilaFs arc readily de.
stgoyed hy arsenicpIs srfnyed on the
10lihgn 0s trees INFESTED BY them.
ANY ~ the arseaEcai insecticides nlay
be uee6, - Paris green. Schesies
gssen srssBata OF lead, etc. The
1lest two Arc used ct the rate 81 or :.
balt pons9 20 SO gallons of: ~ <.
XIX nf sine from tVs0 Is fhrkl I, !, 81
|os stone Hsae fiicnid 4 81 n'Idss 6 nsas
Ess 'ats e.ss' ceNslsacD Slsfsi 0g tlle arssa