Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-11-16
Maine, 81 towns in New Hampshire,

Maine, 81 towns in New Hampshire,
and II towns in Massachusetts. In
all 1926 colonies of this species con-
tanning 12,2S6,000 individuals, were lib
Grated to aid in the. work Of control
ling 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 eggsheli and kill
1t before the egg has a chance to
hatch. According to the annual report
of the Chief Of that bureau just pub
lished by the U. S. Department of Ag-
riculture. the parasites previously re-
Nased seem to be gaining foothold
and many of them are now found in
larger numbers and over a wider terri
tory than ever before: The Calosoma
beetle, another insect enemy of the
moth, the report states, is continuing
its good work. although apparently the
beetles are not so numerous in certain
localities as they were last year.
In New England, in cooperation
with state officials and other state
agencies. considerable progress in be-
ing made in fighting the gipsy moth.
This year in two towns in New Hamp-
shire, two towns in Vermont four in
Massachusetts, and three in Connect
icut, the insect has apparently been
eXterminated. Extensive scouting to
determine its spread showed that the
moth has been found in Is towns where
it was not known to exist before.
This gives a net increase Of only four
towns, which, the entomolo-
gists say, is a much smaller number
than has been reported in previous
years. All of the infestations discov-
cred in these towns have been care
fully treated and a large amount of
creosoting of egg masses and banding
and spraying of trees has been done in
towns Immediately inside the border.
During the year approximately IS tons
of arsenate of lead were used and over
10000 miles of roadway and $4,000
acres of woodland have been exam
ined.
Quarantine Measures
To prevent the spread of gypsy and
forests products, the inspectors ex-
amined 37,444 shipments, e64 Of which
were found to be infested The in
tested specimens were treated before
their shipment was permitted
Considerable attention also was Civ
en- to securing data on methods of
thinning infested woodland with the
idea of eliminating favorite food plants
OF the gypsy moth caterpillar. In con-
nection with this, considerable infor-
nation has been gathered concerning
the best methods of utilizing the wood
products grown in the infested areas
so as to make more profitable mar
kets for trees which should be elm
mated as part OF the control work.
Brown-taiI Moth Situation.
The severity of the Brown tail moth
infestation has steadily decreased, and
the insect is by no means as abund-
ant as it was the previous year. The
various lighthouses along the coast
of Connecticut and Long Island have
been examined. but no migrating
have been found on trains coming
from infested regions during the season
when the moths are flying than in
any year since the work has been
begun. This indicates quite clearly
that the moth is not spreading into
new territory. and the conditions in
the territory known to be infested
showed marked Improvement and in
many of the towns where this insect
once caused much damage and annoy
ance it has done little injury during
the wear