The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-08-11
OF
DAMAGE BY WORMS
Severe InfestatiOn Found in
County by Harold L.
Bailey
DEAD SPECIMENS
COVER THE GROUND
Saddled Prominent, Destructive Cat
erpillar, Defoliates Trees in Guilford,
Halifax and Other Places-Parasites
Come to Rescue.

The widespread depredations of the
saddled prominent, destructive cater
pillar working throughout this section
of the. state were investigated by Har-
old l.. Bailey of the state department
of agriculture Saturday He reports
the infestation most general and severe
in the town of Guilford, though the
foliage throughout 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.
seets 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.. Bailey s observations, ma
| pie, beech, lever-wood or hop horn
beam, and witch hazel. Apparently
apple is not prime favorite. for al.
/ 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
eaterpiliars cannot eat eonifers, and
u the. ground beneath hemlocks growing
among the attacked hardwoods was in
many eases completely strewn with
dead caterpillars.
The saddled prominent is one of the
native insects which, like the tent eat.
erpillar passes through periods OF
great abundance and then becomes ex.
/ ceedingly scarce, Such outbreaks as
the present one are probably very in.
: frequent, however, and no definite rec
ord Of such large occurrence of the
l species In the state is known to- the de-
! partment. The insect committed great
I ravages in Maine and northeastern New
. Hampshire about 10 years ago. but fl
e nally succumbed to the attacks of in
sect parasites and disease. These con
stitute the principal control ageneie,
and IN this respect conditions appear &
he somewhat encouraging
At Weathershead Hollow and at
| point in Halifax. where particular in
vestigations were made, many ealasor
ma beetle larvae were present. Thes
r feed upon the caterpillars and are nov
attacking the pupae or chrysalids int,
which the caterpillars have transforme,
within the leaf mold Other parasite
also were discovered, and at Halifa,
many caterpillars were found dead a
y the result of disease much like tha
Il which was so effective in cutting dow
q the tent caterpillar scourge five year
y ago.
Whether or not these natural ageneie
u can suppress the outbreak before an
other, year is doubtful, but they ar
u certain to do so ultimately. Presum
m ably their effect will first be noted i
% those sections where the insects hav
T been plentiful longest for there the
y have had the most favorable opportun
E ity for increase. 1t is therefore likel
~ that territory not yet seriously al
y tackled may become so even after tn
y pest has disappeared from its frs
points of outbreak. Generally SPEAK
ing such periodical s'runs'' of natiy
insects last about three wears.
Wherever feasible to do so, trees i
Y infested areas should be SPRAYED wit
arsenate of lead about the middle {
July, and in certain cases, as of isola
n ed shade trees, parks, etc, the les
mold should be raked up and burne
or hens allowed to scratch there,
destroy the pupae which are to |
found on the ground from mid-Augu
al to May. The greyish eolored motl
'ai emerge from these in the latter mont
list and deposit the eggs from which II
ng eaterpillars hatch, apparently being a
e., tracted to the tops of the trees on Il
tx. higher lands. otQ te -
vn The period of feeding seems ito has
ed been somewhat earlier this season tht
ad is usual, possibly due to hot, dry weat
be er. ae*
ed
ice