Reports to various Correspondents. ioi 
The larva is dull whitish with a brownish dorsal line and pale 
reddish-brown head. The larva is found in May and June. It is 
recorded from Birkenhead, Bristol, Newcastle-on-Tyne, and London. 
I have found it in port wine corks at Wye. It probably occurs in 
most large cellars and vaults over the country, and is thus spread 
to the cellars in houses. I have noticed that the “ lrass ” ( i.e ., debris) 
collects around the top of the neck of the bottles where the corks are 
not properly sealed over. The moth undoubtedly lays eggs on the 
parts of the corks exposed, and will go on breeding in the cellar year 
after year. They will also lay the eggs on corks left about and 
apparently on fungi in the cellars as well, so a cellar should be 
disinfected to check them. 
Although this is the chief cork pest, other insects are found in 
corks. Numerous beetles also occur, but it is not known how many 
go to devour the cork or to eat fungi or the larvm of the Tineid Moth. 
Various species of Cryptophagus occur in cellars and feed on fungi, 
and sometimes occur in corks in plenty in company with the Tineid 
larvae. 
1 he beetles may be in the corks and eat their way out even 
through the wax. They may be in the corks before they are used for 
bottling or they may attack them afterwards. 
With regard to your questions, all I can answer is as follows : — 
(1) . The name of the chief cork pest is Oinophila V-fiava ; corks 
may or may not be infected before being used. 
(2) . I do not know the length of life of the larva. 
(3) . The wine should be recorked. 
(4) . Infection spreads through a cellar by the pests laying eggs 
in the various corks. 
I should disinfect the cellars when the moth appears in July and 
August now and again with sulphur. It is no good, of course, except 
when the moth is out. I do not know the effect of formalin. Corks 
should be well sealed over the neck of the bottles, and nothing but 
sound corks should be used. What part fungi play I do not know; 
1 have written to Ivew, and am told nothing is known on the subject 
ol fungi attacking corks, nor what species the fungi are. 
Di. Aewton Pitt replied as follows : — ,c 1 am much obliged to you 
foi your kind answers to my inquiries concerning the diseases of 
coiks which are the cause of spoiling many thousand pounds worth of 
wine in London every year. I am astonished to learn from you that 
leally no one has ever taken sufficient interest in the question to 
study the matter and to decide what should be done. I learn that 
tlieie is hardly a large wine cellar in London which is not troubled 
