Milford chronicle., 1931-07-31
LEOPARD MOTH is
FOUND In STATE
[Coniinued from Fr5t Pagel

LONNatNN1N JfSHt 4 81 - ASe
! Springer, Jr., of Wilmington, who
reported damage to some American
elm trees on Crescent street, Union
Park Gardens, Wilmington. Upon
examination of the trees and speci-
mems, State Forester w. S. Taber
identified the damage as the work of
the leopard moth and notified Will
] mington officials to be on the watch
for future depreciation. No attacks
were reported until few days ago
when c. c. Reynolds, superintendent
of the State Police, reported injury
to the fOur-year-old elms planted
! along the highway on Penny Hill
and brought specimens of damage to
the Forestry Department for identi-
fication. Last Thursday Mr.. Taber
and Mrs. Reynolds spent several
hours inspecting the trees and in
structing road maintenance crews
on control methods to be used in
saving the trees.
The most conspicuous sign of
this insects work is manifested in
the presence of dead or dying
limbs projecting above leafy bran
ches or broken and hanging limbs in
otherwise healthy trees. Early
stages of the attack may be recOg-
nized by swollen areas on the limbs
where quite often the bark has
dried and separated because of the
excavation of the larva working be-
meath. Very often, in newly attacked
trees, the only outward sign of the
caterpillar's presence is a small
hole not over 3-16 inch in diameter
in the bark which has been sealed
over with a grayish or yellowish
membraneOus web. This web appar-
emily serves to protect the caterpil-
lar from the attacks of birds and
parasitic insects.
The first appearance of this in
sect pest was recorded at HOboken,
N. J., in June 1881 having apparent
ly been brought to this country
from Europe several years previous
to the date of its appearance. Since
that time it has been reported from
most of the Northeastern States and
although it's spread has been slow
during this first period, present
modes of transportation are quite
likely to hasten its spread.
Black Spots On Body
The insect is quite easily recog-
nized by the work of the white or
pinkish caterpillar which during the
first season seldom exceeds one inch
in length. 1t is marked with numer-
Gus we'll defined black tubercled
spots along the body; a brown head
and thoracic color. Short stiff hairs
grow from most of the tubercles and
both the head and the pOsterior pOr-
tion are quite hairy. Caterpillars
three inches long may be found in
the larger limbs just before the pupa
stage of the second season. The pui-
escent pupa stage takes place in the +,
burrOW just beneath the bark which !!
has been eaten nearly through by
the larva before going into the pupa |
stage. Before the adult appears, !
the pupa works itself part way out
of the burrOw and upon emerging
leaves the empty case prOtruding !
from the wound. The adult is blue
and black spotted moth having "a .
wing spread of two to three inches,
the female being the larger. EmerA
gence and flight occurs from JuneN
to September. The minute salmon '
colored eggs are deposited in crew
ices of the bark or at the base of
buds; single female is capable of
depositing from 300 to 1000 eggs.
When a young caterpillar enters |
a twig it usually tunnels a cavity |
just beneath the bark; the expelled
frass held together by a web indi-
Gates the point of entry. AS the cat
erpillar grows and continues the
gallery, the first holes are sealed
over with a membraneOus web and
new holes may or may not be made.
Hence, these web sealed holes serve
as a small but certain indication of
The presence of the caterpillar.
The leopard moth has been found
10 attack a large number of trees
and shrubs but it shows a marked
preference for elms and naples.
Those observed in Delaware have
1een on the species mentioned.
Cut Infected Trees
NOnIlOl VI IlllS llSGCI dDDIOdCllGS
he impossible in large trees since
t is quite impossible to reach the
arva with poisonous sprays and the
adult does not feed Badly infested
rees and limbs should be cut and
burned to prevent mi
grafton to unaffected parts. Young
rees may be saved by cutting away
he injured bark and by means of
thin, flexible wire which has been i,
'arbed by chipping with a knife,
the burrOw until the cat :
rpillar is punctured or brought out !
n the barbs. When the caterpillar ,
annOt be killed in this way pure
arbon bisulphide should be injected G
nto the excavation and sealed with !
wad of cotton saturated with the
anne liquid r
The wound and cotton should then 6
e coated with a good tree wound
ressing containing no creosote or r
oal tar ingredients. Linseed oil +
aiOtS ShOu1d NOT ha ucad tO drocC