Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 January 1890 — The Pestiferous Gypsy Moth. [ARTICLE]

The Pestiferous Gypsy Moth.

C. H. Femald, the Masschusetts State Entomologist, has just made the important discovery that an over-zealous naturalist has added to the drawbacks of this country a .new and dangerous pest in the shape of the famous gypsy moth of Europe. This insect has for ages ravaged the finest qrchards and vineyards of Europe year after year, despite the systematic efforts to destroy it, and it is ever on the increase. Several years ago, M. Traivilat,. a • Frenchman Interested in silk eulture, imported from Europe several specimens of the moth to experiment with, and a pair got i*way from him. They multiply so rapidly that now a large section of the State is being overun by them. For a long time the new leafdestroyer could not be discovered, but now Professor Fernald has located the offenders. Unfortunately nothing can be done until in the spring, when the fly is hatched. It begins to eat at once, and while in th 9 caterpilar state grows to the length of six inches. In this state it dose all the damage. It is of a brownish color with bunches of hair growing from eace side and four lines of colored spots extending its entire length. Two of these are of red spots antT the other half of red and half blue. The State will take energetic efforts to stamp it out.