Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1919-08-15
INVESTIGATION OF
DAMAGE BY WORMS
Severe Infestation Found in Wind
ham County
Saddled Prominent, Destructive Cat.
erpillar, Defoliates Trees in Guilford,
Halifax and other Places. .t....- ..

>
The widespread depredations of the
saddled prominent, q destructive cater
pillar working throughout this section
of the state were investigated by Ilar'
old l.. Bailey of the state department
of agriculture Saturday. He reports
the infcstation most general and severe
i'm the town of Guilford, though the
foliage throughout n large section of
Halifax village, notably from Halifax
village through Grove, has been al
most completely stripped from the
hardwoods.
There is also a scattering of the in.
sccts north and west of these towns,
occasionally becoming intense enough
so that the trees are bare of leaves,
Much devastation has been caused in
Westminster West, but Mr.. Bailey did
not have time to visit that section of
the country. He left here yesterday for
Bennington county for further investi.
CATION. The feeding is now practically
over.
The principal food plants appear to
be from Mr.. Bailcys observations, ma.
pie beech, lever-wood or hop horn
beam, and witch hazel Apparently
though some damage to such trees,
where they grew close to infested
naples, was noted it was less severe
than on the other kinds mentioned. The
catcrpillars cannot eat conifers, and
the ground beneath hemlocks growing
among the attacked hardwoods was in
many cases completely strewn With
dead caterpillars.
The saddlcd prominent is one of the
native insects WHICH, like the tent cat.
crpillar, passes through periods Of
great abundance and then becomes OK.
ccedingly scarce. Such outbreaks az
the present one are probably very in.
frequent, however, and no definite rec.
ord of such a large occurrence of the
species in the state is known to the de.
partmcnt. The insect committed great
ravagcS in Maine and northeastern New
Hampshire about 10 years ago, but fl.
nally succumbcd to the attacks of in
sect parasites and disease. These CON.
stitutc the principal control agencies
and in this respect conditions appear tc
I've somewhat encouraging.
At Weathershcad Hollow and at q
point in Halifax, where particular in.
Nestigations were made, many calasor.
ma beetle larvae were present. These
feed upon the caterpillars and are now
attacking the pupae or chrys into
which the caterpillars have transformed
within the leaf mold. Other parasites
also were discovered and at Halifax
many catcrpillars were found dead as
the result of disease much like that
which was so effective in cutting down
the tent caterpillar scourge five years
ago ..;
Whether or not these natural agencies
can suppress the outbreak before an
other year is doubtful, but they are
certain to do so ultimately. Presum.
ably their effect will first be noted in
those sections where the insects have
been plentiful longest for there they
have had the most favorable opportun.
ity for increase. 1t is therefore likely
that territory not yet seriously at
tackled may become so even after the
pest has disappeared from its first
points of outbreak. Generally speak
ing such periodical "runs' of native
insects last about three years.
Wherever feasible to do so, trees in
infested areas should be sprayed with
arScnate of lead about the middle of
July, and in certain cases, as of isolat-
ed shade trees, parks, etc. the leaf
mold should be rakcd up and burned,
or hens allowed to scratch there, to
destroy the pupae which are to be
found on the ground from mid August
to May. The grcyish colored moths
emerge from these in the latter month
and deposit the eggs from which the
catcrpillars hatch, apparently being at
tractcd to the tops of the trees on the
higher lands.
The period of feeding seems to have
been somewhat earlier this season than
is usual, possibly due to hot, dry wealth
or.