280 INJURIOUS INSECTS AND FUNGI. [Dec. 1896. 



The Corn Moth (Sitotroga [Gelechea] cerealella). 



Moth, natural size and magnified. 



It is feared that this moth may become as troublesome in 

 British corn stores and granaries as it is in the United States 

 and other countries, seeing that it is now being brought over 

 in wheat and maize from America. Samples of maize were 

 sent to the Board of Agriculture in June last in order that 

 the identity of the little yellowish-white maggots feeding upon 

 many of the grains might be established. The total quantity of 

 Indian corn sent was about three pints ; of this at least one-fourth 

 was infested when it was examined, and the infestation gradually 

 increased. Towards the end of August numerous small light 

 fawn-coloured moths came from the corn, and continued to 

 emerge until the end of November. It was thought at first that 

 the moth was the ,£ Corn Wolf Moth," Tinea granella, but it is 

 larger than this latter insect and lighter in colour. Mr. C. G. 

 Barrett, to whom the moth was submitted, pronounced it to be 

 Sitotroga (Gelechea) cerealella, Hub. This is the moth which 

 did so much harm and caused so much alarm in France about 

 the middle of the last century, especially in the province of 

 -Angoumois, from which cause it was styled the Angoumois 

 r.Ioth, and is still known by this appellation. Curtis writes of 

 it in his " Farm Insects " as Butalis cerealella, and says it was 

 called in France " VAlucite ou T eigne des grains." It has been 

 known in parts of the United States since 1780, and has some- 

 times caused much injury there to wheat and maize, mainly, 

 however, in the more Southern States, as it seems unable to bear 

 the great cold experienced during the winter in more northern 

 latitudes. In Mississippi it is frequently most destructive; 

 wheat put into storehouses or granaries in June being sometimes 

 entirely destroyed by September. Maize is also seriously affected 

 in Mississippi, whole cobs, or ears, being completely riddled by 

 its attacks. It is indigenous in Great Britain, but is not by any 

 means abundant or generally distributed, nor has any injury to 

 grain been recorded against it here. 



Life History. 



In this country the moth first appears in May or June, accord- 

 ing to Mr. Stainton, who also states that the larva is found in 

 grain in October and November. In favourable conditions there 

 is more than one brood here, as in France, Germany, and other 



