INSECTS INJURIOUS TO CLOTHES 191 



very beautiful, surpassing many of our larger moths in 

 brilliancy and richness of coloring. 



There was always a great deal of confusion concerning 

 the species of clothes moths in this country until Fernald, 

 in conjunction with Lord Walsingham of England, an 

 authority on these insects, settled the question by a care- 

 ful examination and comparison of the specimens found 

 in America. It was determined that there were three 

 species in the United States, evidently all European in 

 origin. It seems that there are no native clothes moths in 

 the United States. The three species are now known as 

 the case-making clothes moth (Tinea pellionella), the 

 webbing clothes moth (Tineola biselliella) , and the gallery- 

 making or tapestry clothes moth ( Trichophaga tapetzella) . 



There seems to be some difference of opinion as to which 

 is the commoner species of moth in the northern sections of 

 America. Fletcher maintained that he had found the 

 webbing moth much more common in Canada, while 

 Riley finds the webbing moth more common in the South, 

 and the case-making species more abundant in the North. 

 It is certain that in every case in which the work of these 

 insects has been brought to the author's attention in New 

 York many small whitish, silken cases have been found 

 upon the material being eaten. Moreover, these cases 

 have invariably been empty as though they were pupal 

 cases rather than the cases of larvae. The writer is in- 

 clined to believe that these were the pupal cases of the 

 webbing clothes moth, T. biselliella rather than the cases 

 of T. pellionella. If so, then Fletcher seems to be correct 

 regarding the more common species in southern Canada 

 and New York. We have seen the work of these insects 

 especially on fur caps and felt hats. Perhaps, on woolen 



