CLASSIFICATION AND DESCRIPTION OF COMMON INSECTS 29 1 



Fifteen-Spotted Lady-bird {Anatis i<,- punctata Oliv.). — Wing-covers 

 reddish yellow with 8 spots on each; thorax black with wide white lat- 

 eral margins with a black spot in each, and two whitish spots at poste- 

 rior margin; under surface of body black with yellowish margins; 

 femora black, tibiae and tarsi brown % inch long. Larva large, black 

 with sharp spines on each segment. Feeds on plant-lice. Three- 

 eighth inch long (Fig. 187). 



Squash Lady-beetle {Epilachna borealis Fab.). — A native insect 

 occurring in the east as far north as Canada. The adult and larva of 

 this lady-beetle feed on the leaves of cucumbers. The adult is orange- 

 yellow with four black spots on the thorax and seven on each wing- 

 cover. The larva is yellow and armed with six rows of forked black 

 spines. The adults hibernate in large colonies beneath leaves on the 

 ground (Fig. 190). 



DERMESTID^ (LARDER AND CARPET BEETLES) 



Larder Beetle (Dermestes lardarius Linn.). — Sometirftes a pest in 

 meat pantries, and where skins and feathers are kept. 



Adult. — Dark brown, 3^^ inch long, oval; a pale yellowish-brown 

 black-dotted band across the front half of the wing-covers. Hibernates. 



Eggs. — ^Laid on meat, or in crevices near the food. 



Larva. — One-half inch long, brown above, white below and covered 

 with long brown hairs; feeding on surface of meat at first, later 

 burrowing into it and pupating there. 



Control. — Trap or collect the beetles; clean the pantry thoroughly; 

 wrap the hams very closely; fumigate the pantry. 



Buffalo Carpet Beetle (Anthrenus scrophularice Linn.). — A serious 

 pest of carpets and woolens. Introduced from Europe, where it is 

 principally a museum pest (Fig. 191). 



Adult. — A stout oval beetle, ^g inch long, with black, white and 

 red mottled wing-covers. Winters normally out of doors, under bark 

 of trees, and other shelters. In spring it visits the flowers of spiraeas, 

 cherries, etc. Probably two generations in the North. 



Eggs. — ^Laid in convenient places on carpets or other woolens. 

 Hatch in a few days. 



Larva. — A stout active grub, 3^^ inch long, covered with stiff brown 

 hairs, forming tufts at the sides and at the end of body. Develops 



