342 JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY [Vol. 10 



The larvae were supplied with the same kind of food as noted above 

 for the adults. They showed a great fondness for dried insects, but in 

 no case were they observed to eat their own cast skins, even when no 

 other food was supplied them. Pupae, however, were sometimes eaten 

 if left in the same dish with the larvae. 



As is common with all Dermestids, there is great variation in the 

 larval period. While the majority run through rather close together, 

 there are always a few, which for some unaccountable reason, are 

 exceedingly slow, even when all observable conditions are the same. 

 Typical development may be stated as follows: First instar, 10 to 12 

 days; second instar, 16 to 18 days; third instar, 14 to 16 days; fourth 

 instar, 15 to 35 days; fifth instar, 12 to 15 days; sixth instar, 17 to 25 

 days; seventh instar, 33 to 46 days. It is interesting to compare with 

 this a specimen, almost full grown when taken from the trunk a year 

 ago. It has hardly increased in size, though abundantly supplied 

 with food; and has molted five times, at the following intervals; 

 47-37-74-68-87 days. Another individual, after feeding for two years 

 upon dried insects, and molting fifteen times, showed no growth. 



Pupa. — Pupation takes place wherever the larvae are feeding, — the 

 last larvae skin being shed. The pupal stage lasts from 12 to 14 days. 



Adult. — The beetles, apparently feed upon the same substances as 

 the larvae, for our specimens reproduced abundantly and lived for a 

 period of 40 to 52 days. As is characteristic of Dermestids, they are 

 able to live, generation after generation, without a sign of moisture, 

 upon absolutely dry food material, and apparently do well even when 

 sealed up away from the air. 



TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION 



The Larva. — No description of this stage has been published. Figure 3 shows the 

 general appearance of a full-grown larva. The ground color is very dark brown, and 

 the vestiture slightly Ughter. The dorsal surface is covered with short, appressed 

 hairs, and very sparsely interspersed with coarser erect hair arranged in a transverse 

 row along the caudal border of each segment. The lateral tufts of the thorax are 

 sUghtly denser than on abdomen, where the few hairs are somewhat longer; the 

 caudal segment terminates in a pencil of long, delicate hairs of somewhat lighter 

 shade. Compact, suberect hairs of head, and the legs rufus. The ventral surface is 

 whitish, the abdominal region covered with blackish, appressed hairs, denser on the 

 terminal segments. Length of full grown larvse about 10 mm. 



The Pupa. — No description has been given of this stage either, though the pupa, 

 which is creamy white, and covered with a fulvous pubescens, resembles rather closely 

 that of Attagenus piceus. The same peculiar openings are located along the medium 

 dorsal region of the abdomen. (See Figure 18, 3 and 4.) Each of these openings is 

 bordered by two chitinous plates, the cephalic one bearing minute teeth. The func- 

 tion of these openings is hard to determine, though it has been observed that the 

 margins will quickly close upon and grip any object inserted into them. Pupa some- 

 what longer than adult, measuring 6 mm. 



