Jap1es Denmark Jr., age 12, of Newark. N.J.., for his question:
How do moths get into clothes?
Right now, millions of moths axe devouring holes in our warm winter clothing. The sneak attacks occur where sweaters and other cozy garments are stored away without proper moth proofing. When you know the habits of the clothes moth and her hungry family, you can do a better job of protecting those winter clothes.
Maybe you thought you did a good fob of storing your wirt er clothes. But whe the packages are opened in the fall, a squadron of drab little clothes moths flies out to greet you. If this happens, the damage is already done. Woolen jackets, socks and sweaters are riddled with moth holes. Those winter clothes were not properly moth proofed Moths attack feathers and leather, furs and fabrics such as angora, which is made from hair. But their favorite food is wool. They cannot Eat cotton, rayon or synthetic fabrics such as nylon. They prefer fabrics that are soiled with grease and dirt. So brush and clean the clothes thoroughly before storing them. Plenty of moth spraying chemicals should be stuffed between the layers of stored clothing.
Maybe you did all these things and still the moths got into your clothes. So let's follow a female moth to learn some of her habits. She is a small, drab insect hunting for a place to lair her eggs. She needs a dark and quiet p1ace, rather warm and not too dry. There also must be plenty of food for the grubs to eat when they hatch from the eggs. A closet where winter clothes are in storage is gust the right spot.
The moth is small. Enough to squeeze through a pin hole. Your clothes may be wrapped and sealed, but if there is a tiny crack or slit in the wrapping, Mrs. Moth will find it. She will crawl inside and lay her eggs. When the grubs hatch, they find themselves surrounded by food. To the hungry creatures, a woolen sweater is like a supermarket full of groceries. The greedy grubs eat and eat until they are almost, but not quite, ready to burst their skins. Then they turn themselves into sleeping pupae. When the pupae hatch, the insects will have their wings. Some of the adult moths will escape through small holes axed cracks. Some will wait to greet you when you open the packages of stored clothing. The damage is done by the grubs of the clothes moth. These famished fellows must eat enough to last a lifetime. The eggs, of course, do not eat, nor do the sleeping pupae. The adult moths do not eat holes in fabrics. They do not eat at all. For their only duty is to lay their eggs in a suitable place after which they die.