CLOTHES MOTH 137 



The Moth's Case. — As soon as it is hatched the naked cater- 

 pillar makes a case for itself out of shreds of cloth fastened 

 together with its own silk. As it grows it puts new pieces 

 down the whole length and on the ends of its case. 



Change the clothes moths in the jar to cloth of another 

 color, so that you can see the patches as the moths add them 

 to their old cases. Does a moth add new pieces to both ends 

 of its case ? 



Life History of a Clothes Moth 



Carpet Beetle. — Look under the edges of carpets and in 

 boxes of old clothes for yellow grubs about a quarter of an 

 inch in length, thinly covered with stiff black hairs. These 

 are young carpet beetles or buffalo moths. They are becoming 

 common, and are often doing more harm than clothes moths. 

 Can you easily catch one, or hold it between your fingers after 

 it is caught ? 



You may sometimes find the empty skins of carpet beetles, 

 and perhaps you may see a winged insect inside a skin, for the 

 grubs turn into hard-winged beetles and fly away. In color 



