188 



REPORT OF STATE GEOLOGIST. 



The "Croton bug," so called because it made its appearance in 

 New York City in numbers about the time the Croton Aqueduct was 

 completed, is a native of Central Europe, but like the Oriental roach, 

 has become cosmopolitan. It seldom if ever occurs in numbers in the 

 country, but is one of the worst insect pests with which the inhab- 

 itants of the larger cities of the United States have to deal, and is 

 found in every town of any size in Indiana. It is the most fecund of 

 all the roaches and the seasons of mating and hatching of the young 

 are, perhaps, more irregular than in any other species. Adult forms 

 are evidently to be found at all seasons of the year, as I have taken 

 them in December, April and October. It is not so much a lover of 

 filthy surroundings as is the Oriental roach, and hence frequents more 



Fig. 29. Bldltella germanica L.; a, first stage; b, second stage; n, third stage; d, fourtli 

 stage; e, adult; /.adult female with egg case: g, egg case, enlarged; h, adult, with wings 

 spread. All natural size except jr.— From "Household Insects," published by U. S. Div.of 

 Entomology. 



often than that species the dwellings of the better class of people. 

 It delights in warm, moist places, and is especially abundant and de- 

 structive in buildings which are heated by steam. 



As an evidence of its abundance under favorable conditions, I will 

 mention that a single person captured for me over thirty adult speci- 

 mens and fully half that number of young, in less than ten minutes 

 in the kitchen of the leading hotel of the city of Tcrre Haute. Where 

 it once obtains a foothold and the surroundings of temperature and 

 food supply are favorable, it is almost impossible to eradicate, as its 

 small flattened form enables it to hide and breed in cracks and crev- 

 ices which none of the other roaches can enter. 



Like ]nany other omnivorous animals, Croton bugs find in whcatcn 

 flour a food substance which is rich in nutrition and easily digested, 

 and so they prefer wheat breads and starchy materials to all other 

 foods. On account of this liking they often do much harm to cloth 

 bound books Ijy gnawing their covers in search of the paste beneath. 



