South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-06-04
MAN IS UNABLE
TO SHAKE MOTHS
Was as Well Known in the Days
of JOB as He is Today
Eggs Are Generally Laid in
Garments.

One OF mans oldest companions on
this lonesome, moon-chased earth Is
the silent little lover OF dark corners
and destroyer Of wool. fur and feath-
ers. called the clothes moth. The
shost-white wings Of these futtering
creatures OF the twilight have haunt
ed human habitations from the ear
lest recorded times.
The patriarch Job. who was a great
wool raiser. knew only too well their
ravages when he compared himself 20
"a garment that is moth eaten" It
is probable that they insinuated
themselves into the smoky caverns Of
the prehistoric cave jewellers. and lux
uriated in the first fur garments.
THE fOndness they exhibit nova
days for taiior-made suits and other
expensive products OF the LOOM" says
G l.. Marlatt Of the United tSates bu-
reau OF entomology. lis simply an IL
lustratiOn Of their ability to keep
pace with man in his development.
Like the still more Objectionable.
impudent and dangerous hanger-on.
the house fly. the clothes moth dogs
mans footsteps wherever he goes
embarks with him on mis- voyages Of
trade or discovery. crosses oceans
with him. and officially helps him TO
inhabit any new lands that he may
find
Thus IT appears that clothes moths
came over with the Pilgrim Fathers
or some Of the other early white set
tiers on this continent, for Mr.. Mar
latt speaks of their early introduce
tion into the United States which
seems 10 carry the implication that
they were not here originally. But.
II so. they multiplied with astonish-
ing rapidity as soon as they got "A
foothOld. for by the year 174S they
had become a terror in the village Of
Philadelphia by their destruction Of
yvoollens and furs
It ~ not by the wav. the moths
themselves that undermine the hair
Of your costly fur overcOat. plough
winding channels through the surface
OF worsted garments and eat holes
off the pile Of expensive carpents, but
10 Is their offspring, the larvae, or
csterpillaIs. These are Of a dull
white color and hardly -eighths
OF an inch 'OnE. with a brownish
head. They are Odd-looking crea-
lures. for they clothe themselves. as
If they carried their unrecipocated
fOndness for human society to the
point OF initiating their big legged
unwilling hosts, by wearing gar
ment
The garment OF the moth caterpil-
lar consists of a kind of sack or
jacket woven by it's own hand. and
lined with soft silk. in which il en-
sconces itself up TO the ears. and when
it takes a walk 10 puts out short
length Of its neck and a bunch of
fCrelegs and drags along. 1t never
takes off its strange jacket or comes
out of IL unless pulled out by an in
quisitive entOmologist Perhaps re-
Numbering its own dealings with
laid-up garments. it keeps its clothes
always in use.
Mr.. Marlatt has given an interest
ing description Of this curious APP
pendage:
With the growth OF the larva it
becomes necessary from time To time
10 enlarge the case both in length and
circumference. and this is accom-
plished in a very interesting way.
Without leaving its case the larva
makes slit half way down one side
and inserts a triangular gore of new
material A similar insertion is made
on the opposite side. and the larva
reverses itself without leaving the
case and makes corresponding Sits
and additions in the other half
The case is heightened by success
siye additions to either end. EN-
teriorly the ease appears TO be
matted mass Of small particles Of
wool; interiorly il IS lined with soft
whiush silk BY transferring the
larva from time 20 time 20 fabrics Of
different colors the case may be made
TO assume AS varied q pattern as the
eNpcrimenter desires"
When il feels its end drawing near
the lavVa usually attaches its case TO
the garment on which it has been
feeding. but sometimes carries il else
where 10 be s-~5ched. About three
weeks later the transformation is fin
ished. and the moth emerges. ready
20 lay eggs for the production OF
new generation.
The eggs are laid in April May. or
June. according 20 the latitude, as
certain warmth is required. and
usually they are deposited directly on
the garment that is to serve as the
foraging field for the larva. The
eggs are scarcely visible t0 the naked
eye Sometimes they are deposited in
crcViCeS Of trunks and boxes. in which
garments have been laid away. and
as soon as they are born the larvae
creep in through the minute cracks
and begin their forbidden feast.
The best way TO protect garments is
10 begin in April or May and beat
and brush them thoroughly every few
days before they are put away in
tightly closed receptaCles with cam
phor. tobacco. naphthaline cedar
sprsgS, or some of the other "repel-
lants" commonly used. But if any
eggs have been left in the garments
they viii hatch. and the larva will
promptly set 90 work The surest
protection is cold storage. the tenn
rnrnfnr,a 1aTar hafw0r uTr,r,-rT ~f-.,