From Doug Yanega Re: clothes moth paranoia

[Neil Jones]

In article <6oivcn$3ghi$1 at news-inn.inet.tele.dk>
           fdki_ at post2.tele.dk "P. Stadel Nielsen" writes:

> dyanega at mono.icb.ufmg.br (Doug Yanega) wrote:
> 
> ...
> 
> >>>My experience has been that whenever you mention moths, people immediately
> >>>want to know if their clothes will be eaten.  They think most moths eat
> >>>clothes.
> 
> Here in Denmark, "moths eating clothing" is also history, however in
> Copenhagen the "problem" is increasing due to humid and closed houses
> with little ventilation (save energy!). But he clothes moths is still
> considered quite rare, and many microlep collectors have never found
> them.

Well I must either be extraordinary lucky or unlucky. At the moment I am
wearing a garment with several moth holes in it. (Or at least something
has eaten holes in it.) I had placed several pullovers made of wool away in a
cupboard. Some time later I discovered that several of them had acquired holes.
I now tend to wear them around the house when it is a bit chilly.
The damaged areas are not very large almost as if the larvae had nibbled only
in small areas.
I do from time to time see micro-moths around the place of various sizes.
I have no intention of placing noxious chemicals in the room in which I sleep.
I would rather have a few holes in my clothes than be poisoned.
Also I do from time to time, like most lepidopterists, have insects around
the place which I want to keep alive.

Incidentally. I too have encountered this "moths eat clothes" myth.
The other one is "All caterpillars eat cabbage".
My local newspaper ran a story a while ago about someone finding 
an Elephant Hawkmoth caterpillar. It was displayed in a photograph sitting
by a cabbage leaf. (ARGH!)

-- 
Neil Jones- Neil at nwjones.demon.co.uk http://www.nwjones.demon.co.uk/
"At some point I had to stand up and be counted. Who speaks for the
butterflies?" Andrew Lees - The quotation on his memorial at Crymlyn Bog
National Nature Reserve