184 NORTH AMERICAN INSECTS. 



The Grain-won^m ; or, White Corn-worm (Tinea cerealella). 



This is another very injurious insect, also originally an 

 emigrant from the Old World. 



Grain is devoured, as is well known, by different species 

 of larvEe, some of which are metamorphosed into snout- 

 beetles, as the Rice-weevil, or Black Corn-worm {CaJandra 

 granaria); others into flies, as the Hessian-fly {Cecidomyia 

 destructor), or the wheat-fly {Cecidomyia tritici). These, of 

 course, can only be mentioned incidentally here, as we are 

 treating of moths, and must continue the natural history 

 of the Grain-moth. 



The female of this species is very active in the months 

 of May and June, when she comes out of neglected gran- 

 aries ; and, flying about with her male attendant at night, 

 she deposits her eggs upon the grains of wheat, barley, rye, 

 and oats. From these eggs, in a short time, proceed dimin- 

 utive, yellowish-white, naked caterpillars, with a brown 

 head, which immediately commence their devastations 

 among the grain. With a silky thread they fasten together 

 several grains, and between them make numerous holes or 

 passages in which they can securely reside. By so doing 

 the little animal has built for itself a very comfortable, and 

 even substantial dwelling; for if it should roll down the 

 grain-heap or be tossed about in a cart, its body is still in- 

 closed in a soft fold, of silk, and would not suffer at all. 

 Here they feed upon the mealy substance of the grain for 

 about three weeks, when they arrive at maturity, at which 

 period they are about the fifth part of an inch long. Then, 

 changing into a chrysalis within the empty grain, they are 

 soon transformed into small, winged moths of a cinnamon- 

 brown color. Two successive generations of this insect are 

 developed every year. 



The French naturalist, M. Bosc, who spent several years 

 in the United States, in 1796 found this moth so abundant 



