ABSTRACT
Eastern tent caterpillars lay down exploratory trails as they move along the branches of the host tree in search of food. These trails enable the caterpillars to find their way back to the tent after feeding. This chapter demonstrates that the chemical basis of trail following in the insect, and outline procedures for studying aspects of trail marking and recruitment under laboratory and field conditions. The activities fall into 2 categories: those involving studies of whole colonies in both the field and laboratory, and those involving laboratory studies of individual larvae. The chapter focuses on the trail system established by the larvae as they move between their tents and feeding sites, other studies should suggest themselves to the alert student. Pheromones may be unique chemical substances produced exclusively by a given insect or a relatively common compound adapted to a communicative function by an insect.
