OCR Text |
Show SERIOUS PEST OF ORCHARDS Injury Caused by Brown Tail Moth Cannot Be Estimated in Terms of Dollars and Cents. (By T. SIMONS.) The brown tail moth is one of the oldest caterpillar pests of Europe and it is very strange that the nests of this insect were not imported into this country earlier than they really were. This European pest was first observed ob-served in the United States in Massachusetts Massa-chusetts in the early nineties, having been brought in on some roses. From its introduction to 1S9S, no direct effort ef-fort was made to retard its spread, although al-though the state legislature had passed a law requiring local authorities to suppress the Insect. In 1S98 an appropriation ap-propriation of $10,000 was made for the suppression of the brown tai! moth. From 1900 to 1904 no concerted con-certed effort through state funds was made against the gypsy and brown tail moths in Massachusetts. Individual effort by local towns and private parties par-ties met with only partial success. During this interval these two pests gained a tremendous headway and It was necessary for the state to appropriate appro-priate in 1905, $150,000 per annum to aid in the control of these insects. The following year, $225,000 was appropriated, ap-propriated, and in 1909 this was increased in-creased to $500,000 by the United States government and the states of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Con-necticut, Maine and Rhode Island for work In the suppression of these A Mass of Imported Seedlings Showing Show-ing Nests of Brown Tail Moth. pests in New England. In addition the enormous expense to towns, vil lages and private individuals through their effort to protect and save their property and the loss of timber and the depreciation of real estate will bring the cost of these two insect pests in New England states alone into many millions of dollars. As these pests are rapidly spreading into many other sections of the country, it behooves everyone to spare no means to prevent their establishment. According to the various writers, the principal spread takes place through the flight of the moths just after they emerge from the pupal stage into adult moths, which is usually usual-ly during the early part of July. The flight of these moths takes place at night; they are seldom seen flying in the daytime.. The injury caused by this Insect, where established, can hardly be estimated esti-mated in terms of dollars and cents. The foliage of all fruit trees, especially especial-ly pear and apple where available, seems to be the preferred food of the caterpillar, but they freely attack all shade trees Including the oaks, maples, ma-ples, elms and the like. Pines, spruces and other conifers are the only exceptions. This extensive range of food plants shows the possibilities of severe damage to our trees and shrubs if this pest becomes established. estab-lished. In addition to the injury to fruit, shade and forest trees, there is another an-other feature which if not alarming Is troublesome and endangers the public health. The caterpillar bears tiny hairs which are barbed. When the insects in-sects molt these barbed hairs are shed. These hairs float about in the air and are a constant source of trouble trou-ble to persons living in an infested district. When these hairs come in contact with the skin they cause severe se-vere irritation and an annoying rash is the result. This of itself should cause strong measures, looking to the elimination of this pest, to be adopted. |