CEREAL=FEEDING MOTHS. 



which they are becomes thoroughly mixed with webs. 

 The larvae are sometimes so abundant in flour mills that 

 the spouts and machinery become absolutely clogged with 

 silk. The thin cocoons are usually placed on some dried 

 substance and often have foreign material imbedded in the 

 silk. The wing expanse is somewhat less than an inch; 

 the front wings are dark gray crossed by wavy lines, the 

 V-shaped marks near the bases making a W when the 

 wings are closed; the hind w r ings are silvery gray and both 

 are fringed with long hairs. Breeding continues through- 

 out the winter in warm places, giving as many as four 

 or five generations a year. 



Plodia 



The common name, Indian-meal Moth, 



is not inclusive enough, for the larva is 

 mterpunctella r, ri1 e j r j 1 j- 



fond or all sorts 01 stored mods, including 



nuts and raisins. It was called Indian-meal Moth by 

 Fitch, who found it in corn-meal in 1856. The larva 

 can usually be distinguished from those of similar habits 

 by a pale line which divides the brown thoracic shield in 

 halves ; it is an active creature which goes backward about 

 as well as forward and it spins a web wherever it goes. 

 The cocoon is usually placed in a crack or corner. The 

 wing-expanse is a little more than half an inch; the front 

 wings are creamy- white at their bases, and reddish-brown, 

 marked with black, beyond; the hind wings are dingy 

 gray and fringed with long hairs. There are three or 

 more generations a year, depending largely on temperature. 



Larvae of Acrobasis demoiella bore into the ends of walnut 

 twigs; of A.angusella into hickory leaf-stems; of A. carya 

 into the twigs of hickory; of A. rubrifasciella live in cases 

 between leaves of sweet fern (Comptonia) and of alder; 

 of A. betulella in tubes between birch leaves; of A. comp- 

 toniclla in cases between the terminal leaves of Comptonia 

 and Myrica. 



Larvae of Pinipestis zimmermanni bore in pine. 



Larvae of Salebria afflictella live in tubes of silk and excre- 

 ment between leaves of sweet gum. 



Larvae of Mclitara prodenialis bore in the leaves of prickly 

 pear (Opuntia). 



Larvae of Zophodia grossulari<z, in gooseberries. 



213 



