Jasper Republican, Volume 1, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 July 1875 — Common Clothes Moths. [ARTICLE]

Common Clothes Moths.

These little moths expand about a half inch, and are less than one-fourth of an inch long. They are of a light buff coor, and shine like satin. The wings are long, narrow, pointed and beautifully fringed. The larva (“ worm”) is white, with a yellow head, has, like nearly all caterpillars, sixteen legs, and is always surrounded by a flattened, cylindrical case, usually gray or whitish in color, though this depends on their food. The ends are open, that the larvae may reach forth to feed or peer forth, which they are free to do when disturbed.

The pupa or chrysalis is somewhat curved, and has a rounded head. The antennae, wings and legs are folded beneath the body and reach nearly to the end of the body. The pupa case or cocoon is similar to the larva case. The moth comes forth as early as the last of May, and may be seen from that time till the close of summer. Their tiny, lustrous, buff-colored bodies are easily detected as they rest with wings folded close about their bodies in the deep crevices of our parlor furniture, or among the folds of our garments, or even more plainly as they flit across our rooms. The female seeks out our furs and woolen or silk apparel, her minute size enabling her to enter drawers, closets and tranks; and she distributes her eggs with an eye to the good of her prospective young, if not to our good. The larvse soon appear, and may he {found] at home

up in their little tents and working their miserable mischief, all unsuspected by the unwary housewife, who learns too late of their previous presence by discovering that ha- most choice possessions are totally ruined. In spring and summer the chrysalids will appear, soon to be followed by a new return of the pretty moths. Woolen garments and furs should be put away in trunks, with several pieces of, camphor gum as large as hickory-nuts packed in with them; or they may be put in close paper bags and pasted up so that no holes, ever so small, will remain open. Even in this case a little camphor gum will render assurance doubly sure. Infested garments or furs should be put in a tight sack or trunk; and after adding a half-ounce of chloroform the sack or trunk should be closed as nearly air-tight as possible. The vapor will kill the insects. Then prepare as given above.

For furniture and carpets, heavy paper, wet with carbolic acid or spirits of turpentine, will kill larvae already at work. This should be placed under the edge of where the mischief is generally done and in furniture crowded back in the deep folds. It would be well to saturate the interior of the furniture with a strong solution of carbolic acid. Our best furniture and furs have a goodly quantity of this substance in the undissolved state fastened inside them when made. Russian leather, cedar bark, or boughs, tobacco leaves, and even red pepper, are said to prevent the moths from laying eggs. It will be well, then, to place these in exposed situations. Manufacturers of carriages wash the woolen linings of their carriages with a weak solution of corrosive sublimate, which is very sure destruction to all insects. Yet Dr. Kedzie tells me it is unsafe to use it. Every careful housekeeper will carefully examine her carpets and furniture each fall and spring, brush out all the creases, give all a good airing, and if there is any trace of these evil-doers will practice the above remedies. — Prof. A. J. Cook, Michigan Agricultural College.