oOO F.\.^rlI-^• xxiv. — DEKMESTin.K. 



TT. l)i:inii:sTKS Liim. TTuT. (Gr.. "skin • devour.") 



Ohldti^ or elongate black or piceous species liaving the front 

 eoxu' eontiguoiis; head capable of reti-action within the thorax; an- 

 tenna' ll-jointed with a ^-jointed cliil); body clothed with short 

 hairs. On the carcasses of dead animals, after the soft parts have 

 been dcvoni-cd l»y otber scavengers and only the l)ones and skin re- 

 main, Ibcy can nsnally be I'oniK! in numbers; whiles one or two are 

 common boiisdidld pl•st^. l'onn(l about refuse lai'd. l)acon, feathers 

 <ind cheese, h'ive species have been tai<en in Indiana, while another 

 doubtless occurs. 



KEY TO INDIANA SPECIES OF DEKMESTES. 



(I. Ahdouieu tliiclvly covered with long whitish pubescence and with a row 

 of black spots on each side; front portions of side margins of thora.x 

 not visible from above. 

 h. I'nbescence of thorax densely covering the entire surface, variegated 

 with small spots of black, gray and reddish-ln-own. 

 c. Thorax with three small, widely separated si)ots of pale pubes- 

 cence, arranged transversely at al)out the middle of its length; 

 f(HTn more robust; i)ubescence of scutellum not conspicuously 

 pale. 1124:. canints. 



cc. Thorax without the three pale pubescent spots; form more slender 

 and parallel; pubescence of scutellum dull yellow. 



1125. talpinus. 

 hit. Pubescence of thorax gray and limited to the margins, the disk with 

 a large triangular, nearly smooth spot, black. 1120. vulpinus. 



(la. Alidomcn without whitish pubescence or rows of black spots; side mar- 

 gins (if thorax entirely visible from above. 

 (/. Thorax and basal fifth of elytra coverefl with uniform reddish-brown 

 pubescence; abdomen reddish-brown. 1127. pii-ciieu. 



(1(1. Thorax without trace of reddish pubescence; abdomen black. 



r. Basal two-fifths of each elytron grayisli-yellow. enclosing three 

 black spots. 1128. i^rdarii's. 



cr. Elytra Idack. siiai-sely and uniforndy clothed witii paler pubescence. 

 and with I'eelile Iiut visible sti'iie; body subcyliiidrical. 



ELONOATl'S. 



*1124 (3420). Dermestes caninus Germ., Ins. Spec Xev.. 1824, 84. 



Elongate-oblong. Thorax with dense, variegaU^d pubescence; elytra 

 black, mottled, especially on basal half, with fine black and coarse gray 

 pubescence, the latter often covering the greater i)art of the surface; middle 

 and hind fein()ra with I'ings of white pubescence. Male with a median pit 

 on the third and fourth ventral segments, from which arises a bunch of 

 erect bi-own liairs. Length 7-8.2 nun. 



Throughout th<> State; friMpii'iit. .lanuar-y ()-Octoliei- 20. Hi- 

 bernates, (iregai'ious in wintci- beneath mulh'in b'aves. liark and 

 logs. 



