1912] Life History of Trogoderma Tarsale Bae 
“Soon afterwards I found. larve in another lot of wheat 
infested with Silvanus, and in corn containing Calandra oryza 
and other small beetles. About the same time, Mr, Frank 
Benton brought me larve found in beehives, where they appar- 
ently fed upon propolis, or bee glue. There are several recorded 
instances of Dermestes lardarius feeding upon wax,* or, more 
properly speaking, honeycomb, and it is therefore fairly certain 
that Trogoderma has the same habit, although not previously 
reported in beehives. 
‘‘Among the divisional notes I find one recording the receipt 
of six larve of this species in a box of red pepper, from a cor- 
respondent in Utah, November 22, 1882. These larvze were 
kept in the box of-pepper for a year, at which time fifty-four 
cast skins were noticed. The box was examined January 14, 
1887, or over four years from the time of its receipt, when two 
larve and seventy more cast skins were found, but no trace of 
beetles, although it had been kept closed, so that it was 
impossible for either larve or adults to escape. It is very 
obvious that four larve, or the beetles that developed from 
them, had died in the interim and were then devoured by their 
fellows. Inany case, the adult was not reared, and no published 
statement was made of the larva having been found living 
in the condiment. 
“The capability of this species to breed in other seeds was 
demonstrated by the discovery of the larve living upon “‘kolu’’, 
an edible leguminous seed somewhat resembling a cowpea. 
The insect had evidently been first attracted by the dead 
bodies of the original inhabitant of the seeds, the weavil, 
Bruchus chinensis, but had afterwards fed upon the seeds, even 
hollowing them out and leaving only the empty shells. Ina 
similar manner, larvee were found, together with those of 
Attagenus, in millet and pumpkin seeds that had formerly been 
inhabited by the polyphagous Indian-meal moth, Plodia 
inter punctella.’’t 
In the case of the six larve found in the red pepper it is not 
likely that four of them metamorphosed, because if they had 
it is certain that they would not have been entirely devoured by 
tee 6th Report, pp. 122-123; Dubini (L’Ape e il suo Governo, 1881, 
is rine the preparation of this paper was completed. Dr. John Hamilton has 
recorded the breeding of Trogoderma tarsale in packed figs (Canadian Entomol- 
ogist, Vol. XXVIII, p. 262, Oct., 1896).’’ 
