204 Notes on the Life-HlMoiij o/'Ephestia kulmiella 



through which the moth can lay its eggs, but failing this it will lay 

 them on the sacking. The eggs are laid in the darkest corners, as far 

 from the light as possible, and where the material chosen provides 

 cracks and crevices they are placed in these. Thus they are well pro- 

 tected from crushing and from being seen. Never does the n)oth lay its 

 eggs exposed to the strong light of day. 



The larva hatches in a week or so, according to the temperature. 

 If already on food it commences feeding almost at once. If however it 

 is not, or if the food on which it hatches is too hard for its young jaws, 

 it wanders off in search of something sufficiently tender for its delicate 

 age. The outside shell of a cocoa bean, for instance, is too liard for the 

 newly-hatched larva, which will search for a broken shell if born on a 

 bean whose testa is perfect. 



Having found its food, the larva with no further ado commences to 

 feed, and eating straight ahead bores its way into the food, leaving only 

 a small hole as evidence of its presence. After a few days it spins itself 

 a silken tube, in which it lives and from which it feeds, and which, if 

 food in its immediate neighbourhood is plentiful, it seldom leaves before 

 it is full-fed. In flour, and such-like fine material, these silk tubes are 

 generally pretty near the surface, but with beans and similar material the 

 tubes are inside the bean, and well inside the bag. At this period of its 

 history, the effect of the larva is not at all evident. The larva is very 

 stationary in its habits, and so the food, especially if it be in bags, appears 

 hardly touched. No larvae are seen, and the silken webbing, so char- 

 >acteristic, is not present. This webbing, so noticeable in most warehouses, 

 is made practically wholly by the full-fed larva in search of a place in 

 which to pupate. The larva loves still air, like the moth, and above all 

 things, darkness. If exposed to the light, it will stop feeding and search 

 for a dark place. 



The food of the larva presents interesting variations and influences, 

 as much as the temperature, its length of life. Known as the " Mediterra- 

 nean Flour Moth," one is apt to think of it as only a flour pest, whereas, 

 as a matter of fact, it is much more widely distributed. It will attack 

 all starchy foods, such as grains of all kinds, dried vegetables, cocoa beans 

 and nuts, and will also feed on jelly cubes and chocolate. The writer 

 has found no instance of its attacking any animal food stored in ware- 

 houses, but one peculiarity of its diet suggests that this might be possible. 

 Whenever the larva comes in contact with a dead moth, it accepts the 

 discovery as a delicacy in its diet, no matter what other food is at hand, 



