58 OUTLINES OF ENTOMOLOGY. 



Megilla maculata, one of the most familiar, is about one-fifth of an 

 inch long, of oval shape and pink color, marked on head, thorax and 

 wing covers with large, black spots. Rippodamia convergens is some- 

 what larger, of a dull orange color, with very small black dots. Ghiln- 

 corns bivulneris is hemispherical, about one-sixth inch in diameter, shin- 

 ing black, with a conspicuous blood-red spot on each wing cover, near 

 the base. It is an especial enemy of all sorts of bark-lice or scale 

 insects, and may be found on trees or shrubs infested with the latter. 

 Vedalia cardinalis, which resembles the above species in size and 

 shape, but is of a bright red color, with four black spots on the wing 

 covers, is at present the most celebrated member of its group, having 

 been imported under the insti-tictions of Dr. Eiley, U. S. Entomologist, 

 from Australia into California, in 1888, for the purpose of keepiug in 

 check the Fluted scale of the orange ficeryaj, and having in less than 

 two years almost exterminated the pest. 



About one hundred and forty-five species of Lady-birds are known 

 in ]N"orth America, all of which, so far as known, are carnivorous, ex- 

 cept one species [Upilachna borealis), the Northern Lady-bird, which is 

 a vegetarian and occasionally quite destructive to squash and cucum- 

 ber vines. 



The Museum Pests — Dermestes — are also mostly small species, 

 which are not only the special pests of museums, derstroying very 

 rapidly the contents of entomological and ornithological cabinets when 

 they have once found entrance to them, but they are very destructive, 

 also, to furs, woolens, faathers and similar animal products, and some 

 species even invade the pantry. In these beetles the head and pro- 

 thorax are short, the latter having grooves for the reception of the 

 eleven jointed antennre; the eyes are round and between them is a 

 single ocellus. The legs are short, with five jointed feet. The larvae 

 are very active, hairy grubs, some of which have a tuft of bristles at 

 the tail, and most species shun the light, although the beetles of one or 

 two kinds have been taken on flowers. 



Dermestes lardarius, one of the larger species, black with broad 

 gray bands at the base of the wing covers, is sometimes destructive to 

 dried meats and similar articles of food. D. vulpi7ius, one-third of an 

 inch long and entirely dull black, attacks stored hides and manufactured 

 leather. Anthrenus varius, the worst of the museum pests, is round 

 oval in form, only about one-tenth inch in length, bright chestnut brown 

 with the wing covers crossed by three wavy bands of pale gray, be- 

 tween which are dashes and flecks of black. A. scrophularia<f the 

 " Buffalo bug," or carpet beetle, is still smaller than the above species, 

 is black with markings of pale red and white. It was introduced 



