18 THE FIG MOTH. 
Beginning with October 14, 1909, the bureau received during the 
month, almost daily, samples of Smyrna figs infested by this species 
from New York City, Philadelphia, and Boston. These were fur- 
nished by the Bureau of Chemistry by request, and were in most 
cases in Smyrna figs seized by that bureau because of " worminess " a 
or because they consisted " in whole or in part of a filthy, decomposed, 
or putrid animal or vegetable substance, or any portion of an animal 
unfit for food." One sample of infested Cartrevas figs was received. 
From the same source this insect was also received in shelled 
peanuts and dried apples from Boston, Mass. 
During 1910 a milling company at Crowley, La., sent this larva 
in rice, bran, and cottonseed meal, with complaint that it occurred 
in immense numbers and apparently did trouble by working in the 
sacks. During November and December of that year samples of this 
insect and its work were received from Mr. E. G. Smyth, collected by 
him at Smyrna, Turkey in Asia. 
During January and February, 1911, numbers of samples of figs 
were examined which showed the presence of this species either as 
dead larvae or excreta. A few living larvae were seen. 
In writing of the occurrence of this species in Texas and Louisiana 
Mr. McMillan says that in his experience it is frequently found in 
mills, warehouses, dock sheds, feed stores, groceries, and other places 
where ground foodstuffs are kept. It was observed in small numbers 
in drug stores and in kitchen closets and cupboards. While the 
moths were seen in nearly all the flour mills visited in Texas, the 
larvae were not found in excessive numbers, and the millers did not 
complain of serious trouble. Slight accumulations of webbed ma- 
terial had to be removed at times from some mill spouts, but no case 
has been reported of choking up as with Eyliestia kuehniella; in fact 
few millers have made any observations upon this species or dis- 
tinguished it from other flour and meal moths. He stated further: 
It seems to prefer the coarser and sweeter ground products to flour, and the 
moths are more frequently found in bran and middlings, and around the spouts 
carrying these materials, than associated with straight flour. Among substances 
most commonly infested may be listed cottonseed meal, rice bran and polish, mill 
chop and middlings, wheat flour and bran, com meal and corn bran or hulls, 
oatmeal, flaxseed meal, and occasionally breakfast cereals in private houses 
and groceries. 
Larvae have been less frequently seen than adults, though their webs in small 
masses mingled with food materials and excrement are often abundant when 
they have been allowed to accumulate undisturbed for some time. In a feed 
and grain warehouse at Galveston, Tex., the top and outside tiers of bags hold- 
a In some instances a parasite, probably Limnerium ephestiw Ashm., and a few speci- 
mens of other species of insects, accompanied the samples. Chief among these latter 
were the saw-toothed grain beetle (Silvanus surinamensis L. ), one of the sap-beetles 
(Carpophilus hemipterits L.), a scavenger which attacks neglected fruits, two species of 
ants, and the mite Carpoglyphus passularum Hering. 
