CLASSinCATION AND DESCRIPTION OF COMMON INSECTS I03 



There is but one Family — the TermitidcB. The members of each 

 species live in communities in the ground or sometimes on trees and 

 include males, females and neuter workers and soldiers. They feed 

 upon vegetable fibre, and are often injurious to furniture, books and 

 wooden structures. 



Termites are most abundant in tropical or semi-tropical countries. 

 A few species such as Leucotermes flavipes are found as far north as 

 Canada. 



ORDER CORRODENTIA (BOOK-LICE) 



Family PSOCID^ 



These insects have biting mouth-parts and are either wingless 

 or with roof-like wings. The Family PsocidcB includes the minute 

 book-lice which are often injurious to old books, herbaria and insect 

 collections. The most common species is Atropos divinatoria, a minute, 

 pale-colored wingless insect. It feeds upon the paste of book bindings 

 and upon decaying vegetable and animal matter. 



Control. — When severe infestations occur, fumigate with sulphur 

 (2 lb. to 1000 cu. ft.) or with hydrocyanic acid gas. 



ORDER BLATTOIDEA (COCKROACHES) 



Family BLATTID.S 



Genera and Species: 



A. Last ventral segment of female abdomen plane not compressed; fore 

 femora rarely provided with spines. 

 B. Sub-genital stylets present in the males, upper wings of females short. 

 — Ischnoptera. 



I. pennsylvanica brown, sides of pronotum yellow. 

 BB. Sub-genital stylets absent in the males. Upper wings of both sexes 

 long. — Blattella = Edohia = Phyllodromia. 

 B. germanica (Croton bug), length )^ inch. 

 A A. Last ventral segment of female abdomen compressed and divided; fore 

 femora spined. 

 B. Wing-covers not reaching tip of abdomen. — Blatta. 

 B. orientalis (Oriental Cockroach). 

 BB. Wing-covers reaching beyond the abdomen. — Periplaneta. 



C. Wing-covers much exceeding abdomen. — P. americana. 

 CC. Wing-covers but little exceeding abdomen; a bright yellow 

 stripe on basal half of their outer margin. — P. australasice. 



