VOL. XXII. 



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%\\t €min\m\ lrtt(miola0bt. 



LONDON, MARCH, 1890. 



No. 3. 



POPULAR AND ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY. 



THE MEDITERRANEAN FLOUR MOTH (Ephestia kiiJiniella, zeller). 



BY JAMES FLETCHER, OTTAWA. 



During the summei of 1888 considerable anxiety was caused amongst 

 North American millers by the alarming intelligence that the small Pyralid 

 moth, bearing the name given above, had made its appearance in one of 

 our large Canadian milling centres. There are two or three well-known 

 insects which attack manufactured cereal products ; but none of these, 

 have ever occurred in injurious numbers 

 in Canada. When, therefore, it was 

 learned that a large warehouse, twenty- 

 five feet wide, seventy-five feet deep and 

 four stories high, had been completely 

 over-run by the caterpillars of a new 

 insect, which had infested all the flour 

 and other manufactured foods therein 

 contained, and had rendered much valu- 

 able machinery temporarily useless, it naturally caused much excitement 

 lest the pest should spread to other mills ; nor did this excitement abate 

 when it was announced that the new comer was the same species as had 

 been causing so much loss and trouble in English and European mills 

 during the last ten years. The attack was so severe that it became 

 necessary to close the mill where the outbreak occurred, and also to 

 destroy a large quantity of goods. The insects in all stages were to be 

 found in every part of the building. The cocoons were found adhering 

 to the walls, joists, shelves and ceiling. Every crack or nail hole^ in the 

 wood-work, machinery and furniture throughout the whole building was 

 found to contain caterpillars or cocoons, and the moths were flying about 

 in thousands. The attention of the Ontario Government was called to 



Fig. 2. 



