. Eastern forest insects. Forest insects. Northern States and southern Canada where it feeds principally on sugar maple. Its life history and habits are similar to those of the red-humped oakworm. The variable oak leaf caterpillar, Heterocampa manteo(Dbldy.), occurs in nearly all of the States and Canadian Provinces east of a line drawn from western Ontario through eastern Texas. Its hosts include a wide variety of deciduous trees. All species of oaks are attacked, but white oak is preferred. Other important species attacked include beech, basswood, paper birch, American elm, walnut, boxelder,
. Eastern forest insects. Forest insects. Northern States and southern Canada where it feeds principally on sugar maple. Its life history and habits are similar to those of the red-humped oakworm. The variable oak leaf caterpillar, Heterocampa manteo(Dbldy.), occurs in nearly all of the States and Canadian Provinces east of a line drawn from western Ontario through eastern Texas. Its hosts include a wide variety of deciduous trees. All species of oaks are attacked, but white oak is preferred. Other important species attacked include beech, basswood, paper birch, American elm, walnut, boxelder, persimmon, and apple (771). The adult is ashy gray and has a wingspread of about 37 to 42 mm. (fig. 119 A). Full-grown larvae are yellowish green and about 37 mm. long. The body is variously marked, usually with a broad band down the back (fig. 119 B). Pupation occurs in early spring, and the adults appear from early in May in the South to late May or early June in the North. Eggs are deposited singly on the leaves, each female laying up to 500 eggs. Young larvae skeletonize the lower surfaces of the leaves and older ones eat entire leaves, excepting the larger veins. Mature larvae move to the ground and spin cocoons in the litter or top soil. Winter is spent in the prepupal stage. There are two generations per year in the South and one in the North. Trees of all sizes are attacked, and heavy defoliation may occur anywhere in the insect's range, especially in the South. Some outbreaks have been extensive, covering millions of acres and extending for hundreds of miles. Tree mortality has usually not been serious, however, since most trees of sapling size or larger are able to withstand several years of extensive Figure 119.—The variable oak leaf caterpillar, Heterocampa manteo: A, adults; B, larvae. F-496932, 496931 315. Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and app
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Photo credit: © The Book Worm / Alamy / Afripics
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookcollectionbiodive, booksubjectforestinsects
