2 FARMERS’ BULLETIN 626. 
the past few years, both indoors and outdoors. In Philadelphia it is 
not common, but it abounds in New York, Boston, all the New Eng- 
land States, and west through Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, 
Illinois, Iowa, and Kansas. It is originally a European insect, and is 
found in all parts of Europe. It was imported into this country about 
1874,' probably almost simultaneously at New York and Boston. The 
Anthrenus lepidus of LeConte, from the Pacific coast, formerly con- 
sidered as a variety of scrophulariz, but now believed to be a distinct 
species, has not been found to attack carpets so far as known. 
NATURAL HISTORY AND HABITS. 
The adult insect is a minute, broad-oval beetle, about three-six- 
teenths of an inch long, black in color, but covered with exceedingly 
minute scales, which give it a marbled black-and-white appearance. 
It has also a red stripe down the middle of the back, widening into 
projections at three intervals. When disturbed it “plays ’possum,” 
folding up its legs and antenne and feigning death. As a general 
thing the beetles begin to appear in the fall, and continue to issue, in 
heated houses, throughout the winter and following spring. Soon 
after issuing they pair, and the females lay their eggs in convenient 
spots. .The eggs hatch, under favorable conditions, in a few days, and 
the larve, with plenty of food, develop quite rapidly. Their develop- 
ment is retarded by cold weather or by lack of food, and they remain 
alive in the larval state, under such conditions, and particularly in 
dry atmosphere, for an almost indefinite period, molting frequently 
and feeding upon their cast skins. Under normal conditions, how- 
ever, the skin is cast about six times, and there are probably in the 
North not more than two generations annually. When the larva 
reaches full growth the yellowish pupa is formed within the last 
larval skin. Eventually this skin splits down the back and reveals 
the pupa, from which the beetle emerges later. The beetles are day- 
flyers and when not engaged in egg-laying are attracted to the light. 
They fly to the windows and may often be found upon the sills or 
panes. Where they can fly out through an open window they do so, 
and they are strongly attracted to the flowers of certain plants, par- 
ticularly of the family Scrophulariacee, but also to certain Com- 
posite, such as milfoil. The flowers of Spirea are also strongly 
attractive to the beetles. It is probable, however, that this migra- 
tion from the house takes place, under ordinary circumstances, after 
the eggs have been laid. 
In Europe the insect is not especially noted as a household pest; 
this is probably owing to the fact that carpets are little used. In 
fact it is believed that only where carpets are extensively used are 
1 Prof. Samuel Henshaw has recorded it from Boston, Mass., as early as 1869. (Psyche, v. 6, p. 372, 
January, 1893. 
