117 

 ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTES 



Eroiii the Diz'ision of Eufoniology, Board of .Igricitlfiirc and 



Eorcstry. 



By Jacob Kotinsky. 

 A New Book and Leather Pest, iCatoraina Mexicana Cher.) 



This is a dark brown, chunky httle beetle measuring about one- 

 tenth of an inch in length and is covered with very fine silky 

 hair. The grub or larva of this beetle is of about the same 

 length, cream colored, with shiny head and dark mouth parts, 

 quite fussy looking and is usually curled up in its hiding place. 

 From literature at hand it seems that little was known of the 

 destructive habits of this insect. In 1885 Blackburn reports 

 it as ''common on Alaui, in houses and in decaying trees near 

 sea level." Its very name implies that it comes to us from 

 Mexico ' The identity of the species in both the cases cited 

 below has been positively determined by Mr. Perkins. In 

 this Territory the writer has bred it from grubs dug out of 

 books in a glass door case in Kona, Hawaii, which they had 

 invaded. More recently the attention of this office was called 

 to serious damage in expensive leather goods in a store house 

 on Kauai. During a recent visit to this Island the w^riter had 

 the privilege of ripping open one of the invaded horse collars 

 in this store and found the beetle in various stages feeding 

 upon the straw stuffing. The outward indications of an 

 attack by this beetle are small, perfectly round perforations, 

 some of which are filled with the fine yellowish dust produced 

 by them or are empty and the dust heaps may be found im- 

 mediately below^ the object. This dust serves as a guide to 

 detect its presence in books, showing no outward signs of 

 damage. It is safe to conclude from its habits thus far ob- 

 served that it is a general pest in store houses and book cases 

 and as soon as its presence is detected the measures indicated 

 below should be taken to exterminate it. The habits of the 

 insect will also indicate how it was imported into this country. 



remedies. 



"An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure." The 

 most effective preventives of depredations by this insect is cleanli- 



