Reports to various Correspondents. 95 



The Fire-brat ( Thermohia fiwaorain) in an Hotel 

 in London. 



luforuiation was asked by a correspondent regardinjj a pest at an 

 hotel in London, identilied by ]\Ii'. C. (J. Waterliouse as Thermobia 

 ft'T/wni/nt. This pest liad been very troublesome and had got from 

 the bakery to the upper floor. Steps were, however, soon taken by 

 the niauageuient. The floor was taken up and spaces tilled in with 

 cement, woodwork painted with muriatic acid and sulphur burned in 

 the bakery. 



This was satisfactory treatment, for the secretary of the hotel 

 wrote in January that " the steps taken to exterminate this pest, by 

 sulphur, acids and live steam, and by tilling up every nook and 

 cranny in the baseuumt with cement, appear to have been, at any 

 rate for the present, elhcacious." 



T/wnitohla f/irunntm is one of the two British Lepismids ; the 

 common species being Lcplsina saccharina or the Silver Fish. 



The Thcniwhia is popularly called the " lire-brat " by bakers. It 

 was recently found in bakeries at Cambridge and other places. 



B. ANIMALS DESTRUCTIVE T(3 FURNITURE, B(30KS, 

 DRAPERY AND CLOTHING. 



The Larder Beetles damaging Hosiery sent to 



Japan. 



A communication was received i'rom a large firm of hosiers 

 regarding the damage done to some goods that had been spoilt by 

 insects and returned to them from »,lapan. 



The insects that had damaged the jtarcels of underclothing sent 

 to Japan and returned on account of the damage were beetles of two 

 species, viz., (1) Dermestes lardarius, and (2) JJennestcs vulpimis. 



They are known under a variety of popular names, such as JJacon 

 Beetles, Carpet Beetles, Store Beetles, etc. 



They are both common warehouse pests in England and are 

 fre([uently inipiired about. These two Dermcdcs ai'e found all over 

 the world, being carried from place to place with merchandise. 



They do most harm in their larval stage, but the beetles also 

 cause serious loss. Almost all dry goods seem subject to their 



