Lepismatidae 



261 



keeping all the shingles damp. Food, as for T. domestka. I have also 

 used printers' starch at intervals. There is one brood per year. 



Ctenolcpisma quadriseriata was brought from Ontario and kept alive 

 in Vancouver for only 1 % years. One brood was produced and then the 

 whole colony died with the exception of a lone male which lived 2 years. 

 This species can stand freezing, requires a much lower temperature than 

 the others, and thrives best on slabs of alder bark. It will eat farinaceous 

 foods but feeds in nature, I think, on algae on roots and on trees. 



The incubator and all rearing tins are kept in a small laboratory from 

 which the heat goes off every night at 7:30, coming on again at 7:30 in 

 the morning. In addition, the plug of the incubator is connected at 8 a.m. 

 every day and pulled out at 6 p.m. By this means a change of tempera- 

 ture is ensured, averaging week by week for seven winter months, a dif- 

 ference of 30 F. between night and day. In summer the incubator is 

 set so as to ensure a maximum mid-day temperature of ioo° F. 



Family 



LEPISMATIDAE 



METHODS OF REARING LEPISMATIDS 



J. Alfred Adams, Iowa State College 



The Firebrat, Thermobia Domestka 



THIS is the largest commonly available member of the Apterygota. 

 Its possibilities as a laboratory animal have not been generally 

 appreciated. 



Firebrats may be reared in great numbers in air-conditioned cabinets 

 such as those described by Brindley and Richardson (1931). The con- 

 ditions around the culture dishes are: 37 C, 75% relative humidity, 

 gently moving air, and light of twilight intensity or darkness. 



The culture dishes (Fig. 59) 

 are of glass, 20 cm. in diameter, 

 with vertical sides, 8 cm. in 

 height. They contain 20 or 

 more paper strips 4 cm. in 

 width and 30 cm. in length 

 folded transversely, the folds 

 occurring about every 2 cm. 

 and alternating in direction so 

 that the folded strip resembles the collapsible side of a bellows. These 

 strips are stood on edge in the dish. Cotton batting receives the eggs. 



Firebrats thrive when they have continuous access to separate heaps of 

 rolled oats, dried ground lean beef, cane sugar, dried brewer's yeast, and 

 common salt. Rolled oats may be used as the sole food. If the tightly 



Folded 

 Paper 



Cottor 



j Watering 

 Tube 



Food 



Fig. 59.— Sketch of apparatus for general use 

 in rearing the firebrat. The tubes are usually 

 omitted. 



