Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-08-20
THE HOUSEHOLD.
The Buffalo MOth---Its History and the
Way so Fight It.

The Buffalo MOth---Its History and the
Way so Fight Ii.
One who has struggled with the bug for
two seasons and studied the subject in the
still hours OF the night, gives it as his opinion
that they get into the house by way of the
attic late in the fall when in the true moth
state, they doing their damage in the larva
state, which they are in till the last of Au-
gust He thinks they go down the partitions
and enter rooms under mopboards, which are
not backplastered. AS they appear first in
the upper stories of houses, this theory has
one support. They also appear in closets
which in many cases it would be impossible
to get into, except under the mopboards An
other student Of the situation agrees with this
explanation Of this work aud hopes the bugs
will stay just long enough to drive the human
race to the use Of less disease breeding fab.
RIGS which fill the modern house from floor
to ceiling. In the wild conformation he has
created, the moth" has evidently vsnquished
the potato bug.
The moth first appeared in this country in
1874, in the western part of New York. Il is
well known across the Atlantic. The name
Buffalo moth is an incorrect one. 1t is not a
moth. The scaly. winged insects are divided
into butterflies, which fly by day, and, when
at rest, hold their wings upright, and moths,
which fly mostly by night or in the twilight,
and when at rest their wings are more or less
sloping, like the roof OF a house. The COM
mon clothes moth is true moth. Its larva,
or caterpillar, feeds ON wooden cloth, etc.
and the perfect insect often called "miller, 4"
is seen fitting about in the evening of the
spring months. The Buffalo moth is in all
respects unlike the clothes moth, save that its
larva or caterpillar is most destructive to wool
en- fabrics. Beyond this they have nothing
in common. The perfect insect of the Buffa-
10 moth is not a moth, but a beetle belonging
to the order COIeOpterG, the delicate wings in
which are covered by hard wing covers The
moth" or larva, is three sixteenths of an
inch long, and is clothed with numerous dark
brown hairs. 1t Is probable that the shaggy
appearance due to these hairs suggested the
name Buffalo" When full grown, the larya
assumes the pupa state, and in few weeks
the beetle, or perfect insect, comes forth
The beetle il about an eighth of an inch long,
black, with white and scarlet markings II
appears at various times during the year, in
spring. fall and winter. In spring the beetles
are found upon the flowers of spirmas, and
other flowers. Its scientific name is Anttye-
mus ScrophuIdria Though especially destruo-
tive to carpets the insect feeds on all other
WOODEN fabrics and also on feathers.
The most effective remedy is steam. As
the insects confne their operations 10 near
the edges of the carpets, wet sheet is folded
to form strip foot or more wide this is
laid upon the carpet close TO the Dashboard ::
several hatirons are heated quite hot and
passed over the wet sheet this will generate
abundant steam, which will be forced into the
orevices and destroy the insects in their hid
ing places. This remedy, when thoroughly
applied, has been found so effective that few
Others have been tried. Before laying down
the carpets, the cracks In the floor and be-
tween the Dashboard and the floor should be
filled; this may be done with hard SOAP.
putty, or, If very large, with plaster of Paris,
mixed with water and applied before It sets.
Articles OF clothing and other woolens. il
they contain this insect or the common clothes
moth, may be readily freed from them by
placing the articles in tight box or trunk
tin wash boiler will answer well-and pour
few tablespoonfuls of bepzine over them.
closing tight The vapor OF the benzine will
dlhuse itself through the articles and destroy
all insect life.
The following communication speaks by
authority on the same subject
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTE, J
WASHINGTON, d. O.,
July 81, 1886.
Madam Your letter of July 22d was duly
referred to the acting curator of entomology
IN the national museum, who reports in reply
to your inquiry as follows
The term Buffalo moth is applied to the
larva of a common beetle, imported from
Europe not many years since. The beetle de
posits its egg under the edges of the carpet
and from these eggs are Matched the larva
commonly known as Buffalo moths. The
remedy, where the insects have attacked tht
carpets, is to put thoroughly wet cloth ovel
the Infested spots, and with a very hot iror
press over this, so as TO drive the steam
through the carpet. This kills all the larVf
and eggs. Preventive measures are atrips nj