222 LEPIDOPTERA 



known species are the clothes moths, and they have quite a 

 speciahzed food habit, being hmited to dry woolen fabrics 

 or furs. There are three common species, one the case- 

 bearing clothes moth, one a naked species, and one the 

 carpet moth which constructs a sort of burrow within the 

 goods. The life histories are similar, adults appearing in 

 spring or summer and the larvae feeding in the carpets 

 clothing or furs, especially during the summer months. 

 Naphthaline or "moth balls" are a good repellent, cold 

 storage and storage in moth-tight paper cases are helpful. 



Fig. 172. — Tineola biscUklla: moth, larva, cocoon, and empty pupa 

 skin — enlarged. (From Riley, Div. Ent., U. S. Dept. Ag.) 



Sesiidse. — These have a rather unusual condition for the 

 Lepidoptera. In many the scales are wanting and the wings 

 look glassy — like wasps' wings. Scales will usually "be found 

 on the veins of wings and on the body and legs, those on 

 the legs being quite large. They fly in daylight rather 

 than at night and there are a number of distinctly economic 

 species. The larvae are borers and live in the wood of trees 

 and sometimes of annuals. The squash-vine borer is often 

 very destructive to squashes, melons, and pumpkins. 



One of the most common and destructive is the peach-tree 

 borer (Sanninoidea exitiosa). This causes serious damage to 

 peach orchards in the Eastern Central States and southward. 

 The adults vary a great deal in the two sexes. The females 

 are larger and a darker steel-blue with a broad orange-yellow 



