54 
FLOUR MILLS AND STORES. 
* 
Its geographical spread has been very notable. Last year it gained 
footing in Canada ; and, whilst I write, I have received a communi¬ 
cation from Dr. Selmar Schonland, Curator of the Albany Museum, 
Grahamstown, Cape Colony, in which he mentions inquiry having been 
sent to him from King Williamstown, regarding “ a moth (or rather 
the larvae) which do great damage in flour mills.” Dr. Schonland 
was inquiring into the subject, hut the probability, even, of the attack 
being this scourge on its still further advance deserves notice. 
The moth is of the shape figured at p. 52, and of the size given in 
outline, the fore wings of a palish grey with darker transverse markings, 
the hinder wings whitish and semitransparent. 
As it is of considerable importance to be able to distinguish the 
caterpillars of this well-named “mill scourge” from other less trouble¬ 
some kinds, I repeat below the description which I formed carefully 
from living specimens in 1888.* 
The mischief is caused by these caterpillars getting into every place 
where flour can fall, and spinning it together with their webs so as to 
* The caterpillars varied in size from two-eighths up to five-eighths of an inch 
in length, and correspondingly in colour, the younger ones being of desh or pale red 
colour, and the largest almost white; the shape cylindrical, somewhat slender, with 
sixteen feet, that is, three pairs of claw-feet, four pairs of sucker-feet, and a pair 
beneath the tail, by the help of which, although the largest of the larvas were 
sluggish, the younger travelled nimbly, and could move backwards or forwards at 
pleasure, or were able to attach themselves at once to a foreign substance, as the 
finger or hand. The head yellowish brown, darker in front, and with dark brown 
jaws ; a transverse patch on the segment next the head, this rather pale yellowish 
brown, with a faint pale central line dividing it from back to front, and (in 
the oldest specimen) a small brown spot on each side of the segment below the 
patch. Along the back, excepting towards the head and tail, were four small dark 
dots on each segment, above, two on each side the centre. On the segments near 
the head the spots were ai’ranged more transversely, and at the tail, immediately 
above the sucker-feet, was a brownish oval or somewhat triangular patch (the anal 
plate). On the preceding segment the transverse row of spots varied somewhat in 
different specimens; the largest was in the middle, -with a smaller one on each side, 
occasionally one below, which would make five altogether; but sometimes the 
lowest pair was absent, sometimes the middle large spot was not entire ; con- 
jecturally the marking differed with the age of the caterpillar. On the preceding, 
that is, the eleventh segment, there were two clearly defined brownish spots, and 
along each side of the caterpillar was a row of dark dots, one on each segment. 
The caterpillar was slightly sprinkled with pale hairs or fine bristles, and had 
such a capacity for catching and retaining a covering of Hour that I was obliged 
perpetually to remove it with the moistened tip of a finger to obtain a clear view of 
the markings. 
The chrysalis, which was lying in a silken cocoon of spun-up fiour, showed the 
chief points of the form of the coming insect plainly ; the colour beeswax below, 
shading to reddish brown on the back, and reddish brown also at the end of the 
somewhat prolonged, slightly-curved tail, which ended bluntly or cylindrically; the 
eyes of a darker shade of red.—‘ 12tli Report on Injurious Insects,’ by Ed. 
