ORGYIA LEUCOSTIGMA, Smith

Extract

The foliage of the trees in this city is undergoing spoliation by the larvæ of this moth. Many of the trees are entirely denuded of their leaves, particularly the Silver-leaf Poplar, the Ailanthus alone escaping attack. The writer suggested to the authorities last spring that handpicking of such cocoons as contained the deposit of ova was the only sure way of exterminating these insects. Had such service been rendered the trees at that time, this damaging visitation would have been prevented. There is good reason to believe, however, that what the authorities have failed to do, a young army of parasites, “Pimpla,” which have put in an appearance during the last fortnight, are now actively attempting, and we shall probably be rid of this moth another year. The ova commenced to hatch out about the 25th of May, and the larvæ began to assume the pupa form about the 21st of June; ten days thereafter the imago was discovered depositing ova. Out of twelve cocoons gathered on the 15th of July, four yielded the parasite already referred to. I would note here in connection with this parasite a circumstance very commonly observed among the Lepidoptera. I discovered two ♂ parasites upon a cocoon containing the pupa of this moth. I drove them away several times, but they as frequently returned.