From Doug Yanega Re: clothes moth paranoia

[Pierre A Plauzoles]

In a previous article, Neil at nwjones.demon.co.uk (Neil Jones) says:

>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.
>
>[....]
>
>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!)

"ARGH!" is right!!

Of course the reporter did not bother to check his reference material - 
if he had any - or to check with an entomologist.  That attitude relative 
to a medical problem would get someone killed.

-- 
Pierre Plauzoles   ae779 at lafn.org
Canoga Park, California