GYPSY MOTH

An insect belonging to the genus Por the tri a. First described by Linnaeus in 1758, and called by him Bombyx dispar. The male moth is brown and flies freely, while the female is white and does not fly. It is very abundant in France, Germany and Ru ia, where it is considered a pest Owing to the great damage done by the _ caterpillars to trees, shrubs and plants. Even conifers are sometimes attacked and killed. The caterpillars hatch in the spring and become full-grown about the middle of July. They pupate in loose cocoons and the moth emerges in about two weeks. ‘The female lays her eggs in August, depositing them on tree trunks, fences, and even rocks. ‘The eggs occur as yellow, horny ma es. ‘The moths were introduced into this country by an unfortunate accident. In 1869, Leopold Trouvelot was exDerimenting with various breeds of sikworms, at Medford, Ma ., with the purpose of developing a hybrid resistant _to the pebrine silkworm disease. Some of his specimens accidentally escaped, among them being the Gypsy Moth. ‘Trouvelot, realizing the po ibillty of ‘serious consequences, promptly informed ‘the authorities, but little was done to combat the moth until 1889, when the Tavages caused by the caterpillars in the state of Ma achusetts began to cause alarm among farmers and landOwners. In the following year, the state ‘legislature appointed a commi ion for the extermination of the insect, and later the work was carried on by the State Board of Agriculture. For ten years the fight was carried on, at a cost of about a million dollars. By 1900 the Tavages of the insect had been so greatly reduced that public opinion would no longer permit further expenditures. In recent years, the insect has again increased in numbers, and there seems every probability that the fight against it will have to be renewed with increased persistence. Whether it can ever be exterminated seems doubtful and only by constant watchfulne can its numbers be kept within reasonably safe ts.