220 HOUSEHOLD INSECTS 



Maria tt says that it is very abundant in Washington City. 

 Dean says that this species has often been observed in 

 mills in Kansas. 



This species resembles the more common fish-moth in 

 general appearance. It is usually larger, the body being 

 about one-half inch in length. As pointed out before, 

 the back of the insect is mottled with dark spots, by 

 which it may be readily told from the first species 

 discussed. Then, again, its habits are quite distinct and 

 characteristic. 



Methods of control. — Usually books stored in moist 

 basements or other damp rooms are most injured. This, 

 of course, suggests airy, dry rooms for the storage of books 

 or valuable papers if one wishes to preserve them free 

 from injury by the fish-moth. 



Another common method of preventing injury to books 

 and papers by these insects is by the frequent use of 

 buhach. The fresh buhach should be sprinkled freely on 

 the shelves and about on the books themselves. More- 

 over, this treatment should be given frequently where 

 these pests are abundant and persistent because the pow- 

 der so soon loses its strength. In houses badly infested, 

 starched clothes, stiffened silks, and similar fabrics should 

 not be allowed to rest too long packed away in drawers or 

 loose in chests or boxes. 



It is customary among librarians to poison sweetened 

 paste with white arsenic, spread the mixture on pieces of 

 cardboard, and slip them about on shelves among the in- 

 fested books as baits for the fish-moths. In the light of 

 Garman's experiments, it would seem that a like method of 

 procedure in which glue is substituted for the starchy 

 matter might succeed better in killing the pests. These 



