130 KANSAS ACADEMT OF SCIENCE. 



altogether too frequently. Numerous inquiries have been received by Pro- 

 fessor Popenoe during the summer as to this insect, showing it to be a grow- 

 ing nuisance throughout the state. 



It is nocturnal in its habits, and seems to be attracted by the light of the 

 lamp in the evening, and is often found crawling upon the screens or flying 

 about the room. It makes a peculiar whirring sound when flying, easily dis- 

 tinguished from that of other insects when once noticed, and should be looked 

 for at once, for sooner or later it finds its way to the sleeping room, much to 

 the discomfort of its occupants. It is particular in its tastes, however, for 

 often one occupant of a room will be entirely unmolested during the whole 

 summer, while another suffers almost every night from the attacks of the 

 insect. It is very difficult to discover unless looked for immediately after the 

 pain of the bite has made its presence known, when it is usually found hiding 

 among the bedclothes. But if left until morning it leaves the bed and hides 

 in clothing or furniture about the room, generally escaping, to make its pres- 

 ence known again in a few days. It is very active, and when discovered runs 

 swiftly but does not attempt to fly. 



During August this summer (1894), a dozen bugs, captured at different 

 times, were dropped into a bottle, where they were provided with flies, five or 

 six at a time, upon which they probably fed during the night, as the 

 files were found dead in the morning. However, if neglected for several days, 

 they seemed to experience no discomfort, and are probably able to go for 

 some time without food. A grasshopper was once dropped into the bottle, 

 but after several days was still alive, and, in its frantic efforts to escape bade 

 fair to annihilate the bugs, which seemed afraid of it. They fed entirely at 

 night and remained quietly at the bottom of the bottle during the day, but 

 that they did crawl or fly during the night was proven by the fact that sev- 

 eral eggs were found later, glued or attached in some way to the upper part 

 of the bottle. August 27 several eggs were noticed in the bottle, and the 

 number increased until there were 15 in all, the greater number of which 

 rolled loosely about the bottle. The number laid by each insect was not 

 noted, as so many were confined in one bottle. Soon after the eggs were laid 

 the old bugs began to die. September 18, when the eggs began to hatch, all 

 but two of the bugs were dead, and these died soon after. The egg, which 

 is about the size of a mustard seed, and of a yellow color, is peculiar in its 

 shape, resembling that of a bottle with a thickened rim around the tip, giving 

 this portion the appearance of a stopper, especially after the egg hatches, as 

 the insect pushes out this tiny saucer-like tip, which falls to the ground. 

 Though yellow when first laid, the egg soon changes in color to pink, and 

 then to red, as the insect develops within, until just before hatching, when 

 the segments of the body can be seen through the transparent shell. The 

 young insects are about one-eighth of an inch in length, very active, of a 

 delicate pink color, the legs and antennae almost transparent. The head, 

 prothorax, mesothorax and a spot on each side of the metathorax soon show 

 a grayish tinge, and in a few days are black, the change taking place without 

 molting. The small insects are almost if not quite as troublesome as the 

 adult, and on account of their color and diminutive size are difficult to dis- 

 cover in the evening. Like the adults, they were provided with flies, and 

 killed on an average four or five each night, having excellent appetites until 

 about the middle of November, when they seemed no longer to care for food, 

 and will probably pass the winter in this stage, eating nothing more until 

 spring. Once, when the bugs had been forgotten from Saturday until Mon- 



