230 



liOYAL .'tOCIETY OF CANADA 



Icrs to great expense in cleaning their bolting reels, with which the flour 

 is sei^aratecl. Infested mills may be rendered free from their troublesome 

 presence, only with great difficulty and at considerable expense. Fumi- 

 gating with Ijisulphide of carbon is the method which has been most 

 widely adopted. In Canada, throwing mills open to the intense cold 

 of winter has also proved of great value in controlling this insect. 



Household Pests. 



The Carpet Beetle or "Buffalo Moth" (Anthrcnus scropliulariœ, 

 L.). — One of the most destructive and annoying enemies of the house- 

 keeper is the Carpet Beetle, frequently miscalled the "Buffalo Moth." 



Fig. 18.— The Carpet Beetle ; a, larva, dorsal view ; b, do., ventral view ; c, pupa ; 



(f, adult— all enlarged. 



Although this insect has .bg£n^-Tyell^^(^^r.tov!collectors of Canadian 

 insects for many years it was noji.\mtil 1893; that it ^ras complained of 

 in Canada as attacking household goods. The perfect beetles may be 

 found on the blossoms of many shrubs, especially on the different kinds 

 of Spiraîas, in many parts of the Dominion, and although these beetles 

 differ in no way from those found in Western Ontario it is only in the 

 last named district that injury to carpets and other woollen fabrics has 

 been reported. This is an extremely difficult insect to control. Spray- 

 ing carpets with benzine or gasoline, ironing them with hot irons after 

 previously wetting them, and constant sweeping out of rooms accom- 

 ])anied by a copious use, while the carpets are up, of scalding hot water 

 which will penetrate between the cracks of the floors, are all that can 

 be recommended in the way of remedies. 



The Real Stink-bug (Nomius pygmœus, Dej.). — There are several 

 malodorous insects known, to many of which the name of "stink-bug" 

 has been applied. Instances of these are the various true bugs 



