170 



moth.) The history of these specimens is curious, and I will give it to you. They 

 were found a year ago in a parcel of ground black pepper which 1 had left over in 

 my old store — adulterated pepper, which being found to be worthless, was shoved 

 aside years before, and I put them away in the trash — the pepper and the paper in 

 which it was packed, intending to send them to you. To-day to my surprise I found 

 surviving— the progeny of course — several of them, and I fixed them up for the mail. 

 I also found specimens of the book moth, a slick, lively fellow, associating with them, 

 and I packed them all up together. He riddles the edges of well-sized paper stowed 

 away in trunks, boxes, etc., where not often handled. In the trash I found still 

 another household pest — a flour worm — attracted to the pile by the meal it contained, 

 meal put in to make the paper weigh, and I just leave him "to fill." And now I 

 am puzzled to know what all these moths were doing in this pepper, for there were 

 hundreds of them, continuing in the haunt for years. Hoping ray contribution may 

 reach you safely and prove interesting. — [Calvin J. Cowles, Wilkesboro, N. C, June 

 20, 1890. 



Eeply. — I beg to acknowledge the receipt of yours of June 20, together with the 

 accompanying specimens. You do not make it very clear in what particular your ex- 

 perience does not agree with the facts given in the article in Insect Life on the ' * True 

 Clothes Moths.'' The larva which you style the *■ Hair Worm " is the larva of Atta- 

 genus megafoma, one of the Dermestids and somewhat closely allied to the common 

 form which infests furs, and dried specimens of animals, insects, etc. This insect is 

 not a moth at all, but a beetle. The true clothes moths described in the article referred 

 to by you are so called to distinguish them from the Carpet Beetle or popularly styled 

 Buffalo Moth {Anthrenus scrophularice), which is also a near ally of ^. megatoma. The 

 Fish Moth, or "slick, lively fellow" of your letter, is with little doubt a Lepiama, 

 although none of them were found in the package. The Flour Worm, also found in 

 the package, is the larva of Tenebrio ohscurus. The Fish Moth and Tenebrio larva 

 would find in the mixed pepper and flour a suitable food, especially if the pepper was 

 without strength. The Dermestid may have been attracted by the dead insects or 

 other animal matter in the adulterated pepper. —[June 26, 1890.] 



The Rose Chafer on Clay Lauds. 



Your favor of the 27th ultimo was duly received. No one of whom I have asked 

 the question in this section has ever known of the Rose Beetle attacking vegetation on 

 clay lands. In fact some of our local savants have recommended placing clay 

 around the roots of our grape-vines, etc., as a protection from the beetle. I have 

 never heard of its being done, and of course can not answer as to eflScacy. I have 

 inserted in our county paper of this week a request to the people living on clay lands 

 in this county to let me know if they have ever known of the beetle committing rav- 

 ages on their lands and 1 will send you a copy of the paper marked. I am no ento- 

 mologist, but am interested in anything of the kind. — [J. S. Strayer, Port Republic, 

 Va., July 2, 1890. 



Reply. — The question as to whether vegetation growing in clay soil is exempt 

 from the ravages of the Rose Chafer is entirely one of proximity to the breeding places 

 of the insect. It is often stated that this pest is most abundant upon crops growing 

 in a light or sandy soil, but this simply proves (and my experience as given at 

 the bottom of page 296 confirms it) that the beetles breed in such soil and not in stiff 

 clay land. Naturally on issuing from the ground as beetles they attack the nearest 

 appropriate food. Crops growing on clay land, then, are exempt or partially exempt 

 simply for the reason that the insect does not breed in such soil. Given a case when 

 a clay soil immediately adjoins a light soil, you will find that the beetles will freely 

 attack the crops growing in the former soil, provided there is not sufficient food imme- 

 diately at ftand and growing in the sandy soil or loam. The idea of your ''local savants" 

 that placing clay around the roots of the grape-vines will prove a protection from the 

 beetles is, in this view of the case, entirely erroneous. — [July 8, 1890.] 



