Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-22
Rare But Devastating, Its
Arrival Here Results in
Measures of Relief.
Senator's Office and Homes
of Wealth Suffer Losses
in Furnishings.
BY THOMAS r. HENRY.

houses in Washington, and within the
past few months, it is reported, literally
has driven wealthy families temporarily
out of their houses.
This is the anthrenus fasciatus, a
beetle popularity known as the buffalo
moth" which devourS the insides of
upholstered furniture and carpets and,
other things. Recently there has been
striking increase in the reports of
its depredations.
1t has invaded the offices of Senators
in the Capitol Building, causing con-
siderable damage to upholstered furni-
ture. So far as known, it is confined,
at least as a serious pest, to Washing
ton, although it is believed to be getting
foothold in other cities.
A curious fact, says DR.. E. A. Back,
Department of Agriculture specialist in
household pests, is the exclusive COM
pany the moth chooses. Most of the
complaints coming to his Office have
been from homes of comparatively
wealthy persons. Many cases. 1t is be-
liaved. never have been brought to the
attention of the department, because
of the natural reluctance of families
to admit that their houses are buggy. -
This, says DR.. Back, is no reflection on
the cleanliness of the occupants, be-
that it def1es all ordinary methods Of
hcusecleaning.
FumigatiOn Required.
Sometimes, when the beetle has OBJ
tanned a good foothold in a house, he
says, the only certain relief is for the
occupants to vacate for "a hours while
the building is given a thorough vacuum
cleaning and fumigation.
Where the insect is confined to q few
objects these can be taken to a COM
mercial storage establishment, where
they are placed in special room and
fumigated Most storage companies in
Washington are equipped to deal with
the pest.
The beetle probably gets into wealthy
| homes, DR.. Back explained. in fine
pieces of secondhand furniture, such
as upholstered antiques. But it also has
been reported in apartment houses oc-
cupied by families in moderate circum-
stances
It's slow spread Is due to the fact
that it must be carried from place to
place and that it does not come into
the open for a long time.
1t will start eating the stufing of up
holstery The owner may notice that
the cushion is beginning to sag and, If
it is choice piece, may consult pro-
feSsional upholSterer. The tradeSman
hesitates to run the risk Of offending a
valued customer by telling the truth
and may give some other reason. It Is
only after the beetles, by this time
vastly multiplied. have eaten every
thing in the stufing which appeals to
their appetite that they appear in the
open, seeking fresh pastures. So the
owner may find a house or apartment
suddenly overrun by these curious bugs,
| climbing over everything.
Search in Senator's Office.
DR.. Back recently was consulted con-
! corning the sagging of chairs in q
Senator's Office in the Capitol Building.
A thorough search of the room showed
the carpet eaten away in spots which
ordinarily would not be reached by the
vacuum sweeper. The best preventive
measure, he says is thorough vacuum
cleaning in all hooks and crannieS of a
room.
The pest is rare throughout the world,
but has been reported from Algeria,
Spain, Greece, Southern Russia and
| the East Indies. 1t was first recognized
| in America In 1911 in some specimens
sent to the American Museum OF Nat
ural History in New York from Au-
gusta, Ca The upholSterer had taken
| them from the curved hair Stufflng
of furniture upholstered about IS years
before. Investigation showed that the
| hair with which the furniture was
| stuffed came from Russia.
! Apparently this was an isolated case,
because 1t was not reported again until
| 1915, when a chair in the White House
was found badly infested. Since then
| there have been occasional reports from
Washington householders eliminating
| in the past few months.
1t is very likely, DR.. Back said, that
| it has been introduced in other cities
| through furniture sent from Washing
| ton, but has not had time to appear
in the open. In all instances the affect
ed furniture is stuffed with curled hair
and moss. The adult beetles eat holes
through heavy leather and linen cover
ings, laying their eggs inside, while the
larvae reduce the hair used in the up
holStering to a mass Of cast skins and
| ground-up hair which has the appear
ance of black. gritty dirt.
When the larvae become abundant
/ IN a piece Of furniture, they may drop
to the floor and there feed on rugs and
other fabrics made of wool, hair, ful
or feathers. Apparently they do not
feed ON cotton materials.
Adults Are Conspicuous.
| Inc larvae are SELDOM seen uIlcSS
searched for. The adults, during the
flight" season, from March to June ir
Washington, leave the furniture anc
crawl about other furnishings and win
dows. While barely a quarter of ar
inch long. they are conspicuous by the
brown. white and yellow scales tha
! cover their bodies.
The adult may live several weeks
The female has been known to lay a:
| In 1axy httt
actually very unprolific for insects anC
no adult has been known to lay more
than 85 eggs during its life.
The eggs are small, white, easil!
| crushed by brushing and are laid in thu
nap Of clothing. They hatch in warn
weather in 10 to Is days. Some o.
the larvae attain their full growth II
a year. while others remain dorman
for still another year
Dr. Back says: IF these beetles ART
troublesome in trunks, chests or closets
that are not often used, good grade
of flake napthalene, paradichlOro
benzene or camphor will give good re-
suits. II the trouble is in closets II
daily use. beneath carpets or rugs, II
piano feltS or upholstered furniture
these substances are of practically NJ
value and one must fumigate the house
as whole or in part with hydrocyani'
acid gas, carbon disulhid or carbon
tetrachlorid, or use the still older
more tedious and less effective mean
of frequent search for and killing o
the larvae and adults and the treat
ment of floor cracks and similar hiding
places with kerosene, gasoline o
benzine.
Where hydrocyanic acid gas. recon
mended as the best material for deal
ing with the pests, is used, 1T prac