Cisidae 467 



TEXEBRIO CULTURE 

 William M. Mann, National Zoological Park 



AT the National Zoological Park Tenebrio larvae are cultivated in shal- 

 A low trays which have an overhang at the top to prevent the insects 

 from crawling out, and a mesh cover also to keep the beetles from 

 flying. 



The boxes are kept half filled with bran; an occasional bit of potato, 

 carrot, and vegetables added for the adult beetles. Under these simple 

 conditions we are raising all that is necessary as food for our Zoo 

 animals. 



Reference 



For the culture of Tenebrio molitor see also pp. 479 and 480. 



TEXEBRIO OBSCURUS* 



UNDER favorable conditions, larvae of the dark meal worm, that 

 hatch in the spring or early summer months, become apparently 

 full grown by the middle of August. They do not transform at that time 

 but normally remain as larvae, with but little change in size or outward 

 appearance, until the following spring. If the larvae are kept in a heated 

 room, development is hastened and a certain percentage may begin to 

 pupate in November or December. 



During the course of a study of the biology of the dark meal worm 

 it was noted that light had a marked effect upon the larvae, so much 

 so that, when well grown worms were kept continuously in light they 

 quickly began to pupate regardless of the season. 



By holding the meal worm larvae at temperatures below normal they 

 may be prevented from transforming at the regular period, and by the 

 use of light and warmth they may be induced to transform without 

 passing through the normal hibernation period; hence, with the proper 

 use of these three agents, a supply of all stages of the dark meal worm 

 may be obtained at all times of the year. 



M. E. D. 



Family cisidae 



CISIDAE** 



IN confinement many species of Cisidae will continue feeding and 

 breeding in dry Polyporous versicolor until the fungus has been prac- 

 tically all consumed." 



♦Abstracted from an article in Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash. 32:58, 1930, by Richard T. 

 Cotton, U. S. Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine. 



** From Bull. Brooklyn Ent. Soc. 15:110, 1920, by Harry B. Weiss, New Jersey 

 State Experiment Station. 



