The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-11-03
M E N w OM EN
 A N D T Ii IN c s

D l
 nocturnal or corpuscular lepidopterous in-
 sect; "a member of the order of Lepi-
 doptera and suborder Heterocera.
 say he is all this and then some, and
 l only wish knew some more big words ! to crush him with, for he has done me much harm and cost me considerable money by his penchant for my coats, vests, pants, hats and other articles of f'apparel which 1 will not mention.
 
 But for fear that I overwhelmed you with my learned definition of the pes tiferous insect which flys in the evening, preferring the dark as his deeds are evil. I'll say that he is included in any larvae that destroys woolen fabrics, and that the larval condition is the pests pe- trlod of feeding and growth, some species taking no food whatever in adult life. |
 I'm ,confining myself to the household moths, for there are some which feed upon green vegetable food, and are lamongst the worst foes of our parks and orchards. A variety feeds upon the in-
 
 species are known to be carniyorous. There be moths which also attack grain, meal, flour, hay, dried herbs, drugs and a variety of stored products; others bore into timber.
 1 I was a bit startled to find that some even fed on tobacco. Now, all my life l have been told that one of the surest ways to keep them from devourifig woolen articls was to put a few strong cisars among the things packed away. This reminds me of a squirrel hunt that ] took with Judge Williamson, friend of mine. down the river We went into the wooded swamp several hundred feet apart. stayed for q few minutes and l crawled out into cotton patch. Soon saw the judge on all fours in the under brush We met, and I asked why he d.dp't light a cigarette, as I knew he smoked. He replied that he had one
 E the center and one on each side of his mouth, but the mosquitoes inhaled the nicotine and got on a biting spree. I fear the cigars I stored amongst my clothing only whetted the appetite of the moths for wool.
 | Why am I writing about moths? There | is reason 1 reached the office the ;, otEer day. and for once I was stumped i for something to write about. I sat around and waited for inspiration, but the longer I sat the banker became my mind. Somehow the old thing just wouldn't spark, and having killed all the morning got up and put my overcoat to go out for lunch, but in so doing I saw numerous holes made by moths. and at once I knew i was primed for story. l As is my custom, when settled on subject about which l absolutely know nothing at all I grabbed for the Ency lclopedia Brttanica, my life line which has pulled me out of many hole but what was my horror to find that moths had made only slight impression upon it's editors who dismissed the subject in the following curt paragraph: "Moth in en- tomology. any lepidopterous insect be- | Tor ging to the division Heterocera. as dis 1 tinguished from the Fhopalocera, or but terflies; formerly confined to the small nocturnal insect belonging to the genus Tines). which breeds in furs. clothes, etc. l I said something awhile back in this article about larvae, but at that time I did not know there was great variation as regards their habits and appearances, The concealed larvae of the clothes are mi axQ ia I'm cerned Tn this tale, are the only kind I care anything .oul, for they are -n- critters which have made me put on darned clothes. I got out my winter things and l> ok them to my cleaner and presser and he blandly remarked T see the moths have been at work" I took my velour hat to be renovated and the Greek puEctures in it.
 Before me l have a beautifully eolored of moths all looking like so many showy butterflies. and was surprised to learn that moths are far more numerous than butterflies, and vary greatly both as toj size and beauty of color. knew they had greater capacities and were in disrepute because they had penchant for woolens. am glad found out that the more gor- geous the moth the less peril he was to my wardrobe, and that the only species I need worry about is the inconspicuous clothes moth.
 I do not, however. attach much real worth to the information. and class it along with what I was told about the | mosquito or at least what I think I was told, as my memory or the subject is a bi. hazy. At best. I recall some doctor 1 Uniformed me that it was onlw the female mosquito which did the biting. At the time l was tremendously interested, for had it figured out that all fellow had tn do at night when the serenade began was just to dodge or slay the ladies and fe, the gentlemen mosquitoes alone. The system was simple enough, but like a whole lot of plans fell down in it's work ing. 1 But you say to attempt to write a story around moths and leave moth halls out is as bad as Hamlet withsdt the melancholy Il Dane, Each spring I see the adver- itsements about now is the time to pack away your clothes in them, and the win l l oGA AI~ ..rV-l --fAl~