INSECTA. 151 



The early history of the Meloidse is extremely interesting. The female 

 deposits the egg upon flowers. The egg shortly hatches, and a small louse- 

 like insect makes its appearance, which very soon attaches itself to the body 

 of some bee or wasp and by it is carried to its nest. The parasite then leaves 

 the parent wasp and feeds at the expense of the young, and after undergoing 

 several metamorphoses assumes the state of pupa preparatory to becoming 

 a fully developed insect. 



Besides the true vesicants, other insects and spiders have been said to pro- 

 duce vcsication. These matters have not yet been sufficiently investigated 

 to pronounce upon their truth. The insects that have been thus used are 

 comparatively rare, and nofcat all available as substitutes for our more com- 

 mon Meloides. 



Species of other genera than those mentioned in the above notes are oc- 

 casionally used in other parts of the world, as Mylabris, Cerocoma, etc.; 

 but as these are but rarely brought to this country, they deserve no more 

 than a passing notice. The preceding tables have been prepared solely in 

 regard to North American entomology. Species of many of these genera 

 occur in other parts of the world, as well as species of very nearly as many 

 more genera as are here enumerated. 



ACANTHIA (Bedbug). Fabricius. Order Hemiptera. Mouth suctorial, 

 haustellate; wings two in number, and two wing covers or heme'ytra. 

 Exceptions sometimes occur in which the wings and cases are rudimentary 

 or even absent. Sub-order Heteroptera. Section Geocores (antennae equal 

 to half the length of the body). Family Ductirostres (beak received in a 

 groove and the front without ocelli). 



Characters. Body flat; antennre terminated abruptly in a slender bristle. 



A. lectulana, Linnaeus. 



The bedbug has an oval body, nearly one-fourth inch in length, somewhat 

 narrow at the head, much flattened, and of a reddish or ferruginous color. 

 It is covered with a very fine pubescence. The head is quadrate, with a 

 slight lobe in front hiding the base of the rostrum. The eyes small and 

 round. The antennae filiform, of but four joints, of which the first is very 

 short. The thorax is slightly excavated anteriorly and truncate behind ; the 

 sides are rather broadly dilated and semi-membranous. There are no true 

 wings, and but short rudimentary hemelytra. The legs are moderate in size, 

 rather slender; the tarsi are short, three-jointed, of which the first and third 

 are very small, the latter furnished with two strong hooks. The abdomen is 

 broadly oval, composed of eight segments, and fimbriated at its margin, and 

 generally tipped with black posteriorly. 



The odor of these insects is not characteristic, but is found in many other 

 Hemiptera, and is the secretion of a gland in the metathorax opening between 

 the hind legs. 



Their eggs are laid during the warm months, and when they are hatched 

 the young represent the old in miniature, without the rudimentary hemelytra. 



The mouth consists of a short three-jointed rostrum which, when at rest, 



