82 HARVEST-BUGS. 



mouse, and bat. They are most numefous late in July and 

 during August, hence the name "Harvest-mite." 



As the writer was present when the two following har- 

 vest-mites were discovered and described, when, in fact, he 

 had to sacrifice a piece of his skin containing them for the 

 above purpose, he will quote the describer's article in ''Col- 

 man's Rural World" for June 2, 1876, 



THE AMERICAN HARVEST-MITE. 



{Lej)tus amerieanus Ril.). 



"This species is barely visible to the naked eye, moves read- 

 ily, and is found more frequently upon children than upon 

 adults. It lives mostly upon the scalp and under the arm- 

 pits, but is frequently found on the other parts of the body. 

 It does not bury itself in the flesh, but simply insinuates the 

 anterior part of its body just under the skin, thereby caus- 

 ing intense irritation, followed by a little red pimple. As 

 with our common ticks, the irritation lasts only while the 

 animal is securing itself, and its presence would afterward 

 scarceh^ be noticed but for the pimple which results. 



THE IRRITATING HARVEST-MITE. 



(Zqjfa-s irrltans Ril.). 



"This is the most troublesome and perhaps best known of the 

 two causing intense irritation and swelling on all parts of the 

 body, but more especially around the legs and ankles. Woe 

 betide the person who, after bathing in the Mississippi, or 

 anywhere in this latitude (Missouri), is lured to some green 

 dressing spot of grass or w^eeds. He may for the time con- 

 sider himself fortunate in getting rid of mud and dirt, but he 

 will afterward find, to his sorrow, that he got hold of some- 

 thing far more tenacious in these microscopic harvest-mites. 

 If he has obtained a good supply of them he will in a few" 

 hours begin to suffer from severe itching, and for the next 

 two or three days he will be likely to scratch until his limbs 

 are sore. 



"With the strong mandibles and the elbowed maxillae, 

 which act like arras, this mite is able to bury itself complete-^ 



