In working in feathers this insect occasionally causes a felting very 
similar to that produced by the black carpet beetle, Attagenus piceus Ol. 
The protection afforded by the seclusion of this insect in houses does 
not prevent its having insect enemies, and at least two hymenopterous 
parasites have been reared in this country from its larval cases. These 
are Hyperacmus tinew Riley MS., and Apanteles carpatus Say, both 
reared from specimens collected in Michigan. 
THE WEBBING, OR SOUTHERN CLOTHES MOTH. 
The webbing, or Southern clothes moth (Tineola biselliella Hum- 
mel) (fig. 2) is the more abundant and injurious species in the latitude 
of Washington and southward. It occurs also farther north, though 
in somewhat less numbers than the preceding species. It presents two | 
annual broods even in the Northern States, the first appearing in June 
_ from eggs deposited in May, and 
mae yt __- the second in August and Sep- 
; =3 tember. It is about the size of 
pellionella. The forewings are, 
however, uniformly pale ocher- 
ous, without markings or spots. 
Its larva feeds on a large variety 
of animal substances—woolens, 
po as hair, feathers, furs, and in Eng- 
ad land it has even been observed 
Fig. 2.—Tineola biselliella: Moth, larva, cocoon, to feed on cobwebs in the corners 
and empty pupa skin. Enlarged (from Riley). ; 
- roa 
Rees 
SSS = 
Ss 
va he. 
: AVN 
ah Nay, A NNNOOwenes 8 
of rooms, and in confinement has 
been successfully reared on this rather dainty food substance. The 
report that it feeds on dried plants in herbaria is rather open to ques- 
tion, as its other recorded food materials are all of animal origin. 
Frequently this species is a very troublesome pest in museums, partic- 
ularly in collections of the larger moths. Prof. F. M. Webster, of 
this Bureau, once had some of his large moths badly riddled by its larve, 
and Hagen also records it as feeding on insect collections. Doctor 
Riley reared it in conjunction with the Angoumois grain moth (Sito- 
troga cerealella) from grain, it being apparent that its larvee had sub- 
sisted on dead specimens of the grain moth. It is very likely to attack 
large Lepidoptera on the spreading board, and has, in fact, been carried 
through several generations on dried specimens of moths. 
Its general animal-feeding habit is further indicated by the interest- 
ing case reported by Dr. J. C. Merrill, U. S. A.. who submitted a sam- 
ple can of beef meal which had been rejected as “ weevilly.”’ The 
damage proved to be due to the larvee of Tineola biselliella, and goes 
to substantiate the theory already advanced that clothes moths were 
scavengers in their earliest association with man. 
