458 Phylum Arthropoda 



The adult beetle is never aquatic, but is commonly found on grasses 

 and other plants along the shores and the exposed portions of aquatic 

 vegetation. 



Many eggs were laid under laboratory conditions by both reared and 

 captured beetles. Whether eggs are normally laid submerged could not 

 be determined. All eggs secured were laid by beetles on dry objects, 

 directly on the glass surface, or on bits of leaves in small vials (without 

 water) in which many of the beetles were isolated for observation. Young 

 larvae were obtained from these egg masses in the laboratory. There is 

 an incubation period of about 10 days, a larval life of about n months, 

 a pupal period of 3 days, and there is but one brood a year. 



M. E. D. 



Family dermestidae 



BREEDING DERMESTES VULPINUS THROUGHOUT 



THE YEAR* 



Dermestes vulpinus has proved a satisfactory standard insect for 

 biological experiments, since it is prolific, has a short life cycle, is easily 

 handled, and may be raised successfully in quantity throughout the year. 



Cultures are formed in tin cans 10 inches in diameter by 8 inches high 

 and equipped with tightly fitting covers. Holes punched in the centers 

 of the covers admit air and keep down the humidity. By thus rearing 

 the insects in separate containers little difficulty is experienced with 

 parasites or diseases because if the larvae in one unit become infected 

 the condition is easily checked before it can spread throughout the rest 

 of the cultures. 



As the adults and larvae require foods high in protein content a diet 

 consisting of fish-scrap, salmon, cheese, and bacon was fed. A layer of 

 oily fish-scrap about Y 2 inch deep is spread over the bottom of the rearing 

 chamber and serves both as a food and as a carpet in which the larvae 

 move about. The other foods are added as needed, i.e., salmon is fed 

 to the larvae first and when that is consumed, cheese is added and so on 

 in an effort to give some variety to the diet. The foods are not allowed 

 to dry out, being kept in a fairly moist condition by adding water when 

 needed. The beetles thrive on this diet. 



In starting a culture about thirty adult insects, equally divided as 

 to sex, are placed in a container in which food has been placed. Over 

 a period of 10 days about 150 to 200 eggs are laid. As this is about the 

 maximum number satisfactorily reared in each container, the adults 

 are then removed. With the exception of feeding the larvae little at- 



*Abstracted from an article in /. Econ. Ent. 21:604, 1928, by A. G. Grady, Research 

 Laboratories, Rohm and Haas Co., Inc., Bristol, Penna. 



