A short history of the brown-tail moth : the caterpillars of which are at present uncommonly numerous and destructive in the vicinity of the metropolis / by William Curtis.

  • Curtis, William, 1746-1799.
Date:
1782
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A short history of the brown-tail moth : the caterpillars of which are at present uncommonly numerous and destructive in the vicinity of the metropolis / by William Curtis. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    Having fliewn, that this infe(5l'is neither new in its appear- ance, nor general in its ravages, I fhall endeavour to demon- flrate, that there is no reafon to be fp dreadfully alarmed about its effects, as its powers of defl:ru£tion are much more limited than is generally imagined. ; . Experiment teaches us, that there are fome Caterpillars which are defigned to feed on one kind of plant only, as the Papilio Urtic^e, and lo^fmall Tortoife-JJjelL'nndL PeacockButterJUes\ thefe are never found on any other .plant than the flinging nettle. Others that are attached to two or more forts, as the Phalana Verbafci^ or Water Betony Moth^, which appears to be equally fond of the Mullein and 'Water Betony: while others will devour Indifcrlmlnately almofl every kind of herb, fhrub, or tree, as the Phalrena Antiqua^ or Vapourer Moth, which I have feen to thrive on the deadly Nightjlonde and potfonous Laurel, The prefent Caterpillar is not fo limited a feeder as, fome, nor fo general a one as others. Its whole oeconomy, however, fhews it defigned to feed on trees and fhrubs, on which alone it is ever found. Thefe afford it a fupport for its web, which is an habitation in many refpefls eflentlal to its exiflence, and with which herbaceous plants cannot fupply it. We may, therefore, with as much propriety exped to fee the Cabbage Buttcrjly, PapUio BraJfiCce, feed on our Oaks and Elms, as to find thefe Caterpillars deflroying our Herbs or Grafs. The following fads will ferve to corroborate what is here advanced. They are found on the Hawthorn moll plentifully. Oak the fame. Elm very plentifully. Moft fruit trees the fame. Blackthorn