Tineidae 



imago, or perfect insect, but by the larva, or caterpillar. This is 

 represented in all its destructive ugliness in the annexed cut. 

 Its food is animal fibers, and it constructs for itself a cocoon 

 of bits of wool or hair, in which transformation into a pupa finally 

 takes place. It is partial to all animal hair. It feeds upon furs, 

 woolens, carpets, horsehair mattresses, and even to some extent 

 upon silken fabrics, though it has no positive preference for the 

 latter. The insect, like all the others of its class, has been intro- 

 duced into this country from the Old World. In a separate 

 article the writer will speak of the best method of preventing its 

 ravages. 



Genus TINEA Linnaeus 

 (i) Tinea pellionella Linnseus. (The Fur-moth.) 



Syn. flavescentella Haworth ; merdella Zeller ; dubiella Stainton ; griseella 

 Chambers. 



This insect makes for itself a movable case in which it travels 

 about in the larval stage. Its food is very much the same as that 

 of the preceding 

 species, and it 

 is equally de- 

 structive. The 

 moth differs 

 from the pale- 

 coloredClothes- 

 moth in having 

 the fore wings 

 darker. They 

 are, in fact, 

 quite gray, mot- 

 tled with darker 



gray, as shown in the cut which we have herewith caused to be 

 reproduced. A comparison between the figures of this and the 

 succeeding species will enable the student to readily discrimi- 

 nate them. The lower left-hand figure gives a good representa- 

 tion of the case made out of bits of hair in which the caterpillar 

 performs its migrations. The insect is many-brooded, according 

 to the temperature of its domicile. In the warmer parts of the 

 country the processes of generation no doubt go on continuously. 



433 



Fig. 253. T. pellionella. (After Riley.) 



