Gypsyism

[Sarah]

A tussock moth (Ocneria dispar) native of the Old World, butaccidentally introduced into eastern Massachusetts about 1869, whereits caterpillars have done great damage to fruit, shade, and foresttrees of many kinds. The male gypsy moth is yellowish brown, thefemale white, and larger than the male. In both sexes the wings aremarked by dark lines and a dark lunule. The caterpillars, when full-grown, have a grayish mottled appearance, with blue tubercles on theanterior and red tubercles on the posterior part of the body, allgiving rise to long yellow and black hairs. They usually pupate inJuly and the moth appears in August. The eggs are laid on treetrunks, rocks, etc., and hatch in the spring.