Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-r5fsc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-30T17:18:34.056Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Hofmannophila pseudospretella (Stnt.) (Lep., Oecophoridae), its status as a pest of woollen textiles, its laboratory culture and susceptibility to mothproofers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

J. H. Cole
J. H. Cole
Affiliation:
Avebury Research Laboratories Limited, Goring-on-Thames, Oxon.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

Hofmannophila pseudospretella (Stnt.) is a very widespread and common omnivorous scavenger in Britain. It is able to digest keratin and, while rarely occurring in large infestations, has a nuisance value as a textile pest in dwellings. It is commonly found breeding in birds' nests and dry organic débris likely to be found in attics and roof spaces, and mature larvae wandering from the feeding site are probably the only cause of damage to domestic textiles which, according to our records, are principally carpets.

A method of maintaining cultures in the laboratory and obtaining standardised larvae for mothproofing tests is described.

Adequate protection against newly hatched larvae was given by 0·1 per cent. Dielmoth (25 per cent, dieldrin) and 1·0 per cent. Mitin FF (an unknown percentage of N-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-N′-2-(2-sulpho-4-chlorophenoxy)-5-chlorophenyl urea, sodium salt), while six-week-old larvae were not controlled by 0·15 per cent. Dielmoth or 1·0 per cent. Mitin FF. No protection against larvae in the wandering stage was given by Dielmoth in concentrations up to 0·63 per cent, or by 1·0 per cent. Mitin FF.

Both six-week-old and wandering larvae were controlled by 5·0 per cent. Mystox B (20 per cent, pentachlorophenol) and the latter also by 4·0 per cent. Mystox LPL (100 per cent, commercial pentachlorophenyl laurate).

Type
Research Paper
Information
Bulletin of Entomological Research , Volume 53 , Issue 1 , May 1962 , pp. 83 - 89
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1962

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Cole, J. H. & Whitfield, F. G. S. (1962). A comparison of the principal test methods for evaluating moth-proofing agents.—J. Text. Indst. 53 pp. P236–P249.Google Scholar
Hughes, A. W. McK. (1948). Clothes moths and house moths.—Econ. Ser. Brit. Mus. (nat. Hist.) no. 14 (4th edn.), 28 pp.Google Scholar
Lepesme, P. (1938). Hofmannophila pseudospretella Stt. (Lep. Gelechiidae), hÔte indésirable des habitations et des magasins.—Bull. Soc. ent. Fr. 42 pp. 283–288. (Rev. appl. Ent. (A) 26 p. 412.)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
O'Farrell, A. F. & Butler, P. M. (1948). Insects and mites associated with the storage and manufacture of foodstuffs in Northern Ireland.—Econ. Proc. R. Dublin Soc. 3 pp. 343–407.Google ScholarPubMed
Richards, O. W. & Waloff, N. (1947). Seasonal variations in the numbers of some warehouse insects.—Proc. R. ent. Soc. Land. (A) 22 pp. 30–33.Google Scholar
Richardson, N. M. (1897). Dorset clothes-moths and their habits.—Proc. Dorset nat. Hist. Fid Cl. 18 pp. 138–149.Google Scholar
Walton, M. M. & Shepard, H. H. (1960). Testing resistance of chemically-treated textiles to insect damage.—In Shepard, H. H. Ed. Methods of testing chemicals on insects 2 pp. 73–100. Minneapolis, Minn., Burgess.Google Scholar
Waterhouse, D. F. (1958). Wool digestion and mothproofing.—In Metcalfe, R. L. Ed. Advances in pest control research 2 pp. 207–262. New York & London, Interscience.Google Scholar
Woodroffe, G. E. (1951). A life-history study of the brown house moth, Hofmannophila pseudospretella (Staint.) (Lep. Oecophoridae).—Bull. ent. Res. 41 pp. 529–558.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Woodroffe, G. E. (1953). An ecological study of the insects and mites in the nests of certain birds in Britain.—Bull. ent. Res. 44 pp. 739–772.CrossRefGoogle Scholar