New Britain herald., 1916-11-18
Fight Gypsy MOTH
IN THIS SECTION
Government Releases 12,947,71S
Parasites to Destroy Pest
(pIRIeH sul o. IgIoedS)


Washington, D. c., Nov. 1S-Twelve
million, nine hundred and forty sev-
en- thousand, seven hundred and thir-
teen parasites which prey on the
gypsy moth were released in Massa-
chusetts and New Hampshire last
year by the Bureau of Entomology Of
the U. S. Department of Agriculture
Of these 661,713 were Japanese para
sites known as Schedius kuvanae.
These were liberated In twenty EIGHT
towns in Massa chusetts and eleven in
New Hampshire. Another enemy of
the gypsy moth, known as Anastatus
bifasciatus, was cOlon1zed in fourteen
towns in Maine, thirty-one towns in
New Hampshire, and seventy-One
towns in Massachusetts. In all 12,-
2S6 colonies Of this species contain
ing 12286OO0 individuals, were lib
Grated to aid in the work Of cOntrO1l
ing the gypsy moth pest. These two
parasites place their eggs in the egg
of the gypsy moth, the eggs of the
parasites hatch into larvae, or grubs,
and these feed upon the developing
caterpillar within the eggshell and
kill it before the egg has a chance to
hatch. According to the annual re-
port of the chief of that bureau just
published by the U. S. Department of
Agriculture, the parasites previously
released seem to be gaining a foot
hold and many of them are now found
in larger numbers and over a wider
territory than ever before. The Gallo
soma beetle, another insect enemy Of
the moth, the report states, is con-
tinuing it's good work, although APP
parently the BEETLES are not SO nu-
merous in certain localities as they
were last year.
In New England, in comparison
with state officials and other state
agencies, considerable progress is be-
ing made in fighting the gypsy moth.
This year in two towns in New Hamp-
shire, two in Vermont, four in Massa-
chusetts, and three in Connecticut
the insect has apparently been ex-
terminated. Extensive scouting to
determine its spread showed that the
moth has been found IN fifteen towns
where it was not known to exist be-
fore This gives a net increase Of
only four infested towns, which, the
entomologists say, is much smaller
numb than has been reported in
previous years. All of the infestations
discovered in these towns have been
carefully treated and a large amount
of creosoting of egg masses and
banding and spraying Of trees has
been done in towns Immediately in
! side the border During the year ap-
| proximately thirty-five tons of ar
senate of lead were used and over
| $4,000 miles Of roadway and $4,000
| acres of woodland have been exam
| ined.
Quarantine Measures.
To prevent the spread of gypsy
and brown-tail moths in nursery
stock and forest products, the inspec-
tors examined 37,444 shipments. 664
of which were found to be infested.
The infested specimens were treated
| before their shipment was permitted.
Considerable attention also was CIV
Ell to securing data on methods of
thinning infested woodland with the
idea of eliminating favorite food
| plants of the gypsy moth caterpillar
In connection with this, considerable
information has been gathered con-
corning the best methods of utiliz-
ing the wood products grown in the
infested areas so as to make more pro-
ftable markets for trees which should
be eliminated as part Of the control
work.
BroWn-Tail Moth Situation.
The severity of the brown-tail moth
infestation has steadily decreased, and
the insect is by no means as abundant
as it was the previous year. The vari
Gus lighthouses along the coast Of
j Connecticut and Long Asaend have