118 FORTT-THIRD REPORT ON THE STATE MuSEUM. [22] 



Food of the Insect. 

 This species is one of the most useful of its family — the Gdccinel- 

 lidce — as it is of broad distribution throughout the United States, 

 and occurs on almost any kind of vegetation where plant-lice abound. 

 In its larval stage it is wholly carnivorous, its food consisting to a 

 great extent of plant-lice. In its imago or beetle stage, while largely 

 carnivorous, it is undoubtedly vegetarian in part, as examinations of 

 the stomachs of allied species of Hipjwdamia and Goccinella have shown 

 them to be — in some instances their food having been ascertained to 

 consist of from fifty to seventy-five per cent of pollen of Gompositce 

 and other plants, and spores of lichens and fungi.* 



Its Domestic Habits. 

 The two-spotted lady-bird passes the winter as a perfect insect, and 

 has the habit belonging to several insects, as notably that of the elm- 

 tree-beetle, Galeruca xanthomeloena, of Otiorhynchus ovatus (one of the 

 Gurculionidce), and of Ghloropisca prolifica,'\ of entering dwelling-houses 

 for the purpose of hibernation; but of all the many species of the 

 lady-bugs, of which 141 are recorded in the Henshaw list, this 

 is the only one that possesses this domestic habit. During the winter 

 of 1886-7, following its unusual multiplication as the result of the 

 presence of an unprecedented number of plant-lice in hop-yards and 

 on other crops in the State of New York, it became remarkably 

 abundant in many dwellings. | 



Mistaken for the Carpet-beetle. 

 When, at the advent of the first warm days of spring, it resumed 

 its activity, it was in many instances believed to be 

 the greatly dreaded "carpet-beetle. From many 

 localities in the State examples were sent to me, 

 asking if it was that insect, while in some instances 

 u reported to me, it was not thought worth while to 

 make the inquiry, but the harmless creatures were 

 ruthlessly gathered uj)on dust pans and thrown 

 into the fire. It would hardly seem possible, after 

 all that has been written and published of the 



Fig. 11 -The Carpet- j^,^ and of the carpet-beetle (pictures of the 

 beetle, Antheenus jo x vr- 



scKOPHULAKi^. latter have been scattered broadcast over the land 



* Forbes: In Bulletin No. 6 of Illinois St. Lab. of Nat. Hist., Jan. 1883, pp. 51-55. 



t Fourth Report on the Insects of New York, 1888, pp. 67-72. 



t A gentleman in Boston, Mass., has reported it as a common insect in his house 

 during the winter months, for successive winters. There had seldom been more than 

 two or three days at a time when these lady-bugs had not been seen creeping or flying 

 about the house, invariably coming out and showing activity in his library every 

 evening as soon as the room became warm. At one time during cold weather at least 

 1,000, as estimated, were on the inside of his front door. (Insect Life, i, 1888, p. 56.) 



