io6 OUR HOUSEHOLD INSECTS 



the roof of the shed than is really destroyed by being 

 eaten. Mr. C. S. Gregson speaks of tons of rice in a 

 warehouse having been destroyed by this insect. Each 

 caterpillar had spun together six or eight rice grains, 

 and they thus made numbers of little bundles of rice, 

 which they used both as shelters and as food. The same 

 observer speaks of having been informed that some small 

 caterpillars were doing great damage amongst the stores 

 of sweeping brooms belonging to one of the Local Govern- 

 ment Boards in Liverpool. On receiving specimens of 

 the damaged articles, he found that they were ling 

 besoms (brooms made of heather or ling), and that the 

 destroyer was none other than pseudo-spretella, which, 

 notwithstanding that all it had to live upon was dry 

 heather brooms, was nevertheless more fat and nourish- 

 ing than usual. 



The larva of this insect is a winter feeder, and may be 

 found in the early months of the year, the moth appear- 

 ing in July and August. 



A very near relative of these two insects, called 

 (Ecogenia Kinder manniella, is sometimes found in houses, 

 especially near London. It is smaller than either of its 

 allies, and is a very pretty insect, having the narrow 

 fore-wings dark purplish-brown, with three broad pale 

 yellow patches. 



