LEPIDOPTEKA. 



233 



The Meal-moth, Pyralis farinalis (Pyr'a-lis far-i-na'lis) is 



a common species. 



The larva feeds on 



meal, flour, and old 



clover-hay. The moth 



is commonly found 



near the food of the 



larva, but is often 



seen on the ceilings 



of rooms sitting with 



its tail curved over 



its back. It expands 



about an inch ; the 



fore wings are light 



brown, crossed by 



two curved white 



lines, and with a dark 



chocolate-brown spot 



on the base and tip 



of each. 



The Clover-hay Worm, Pyralis costalis (Pyr'a-lis cos-ta'- 



lis). The larva of this species sometimes abounds in old 

 stacks of clover-hay, and especially near the 

 bottom of such stacks. As the infested hay be- 

 comes covered with a silken web spun by the 

 larva, and by its black gunpowder-like excre- 

 ment, much more is spoiled than is eaten by 



the insect. The moth expands about four fifths of an inch. 



It is of a beautiful lilac color, with golden bands and fringes 



(Fig. 278). 



Family GALLERIID^E (Gal-le-ri'i-dae). 

 The Bee-motli Family. 



This is a small family, of which only seven species have 

 been found in our fauna. The best known of these is the 

 Bee-moth, Galleria mellonella (Gal-le'ri-a mel-lo-nel'la). The 



VIII 



FIG. 277. Wings of Pyr 



iiialis. 



