THE BED-BUG. 



201 



as well as a number of similar ones, live normally under bark 

 of dead and living trees; they are true vegetable feeders, sub- 

 sisting upon the sap of plants. Whenever logs are cut the 

 sap contained in them and especially that near the surface, 

 ferments, and this attracts a large number of insects fond of 

 such fluid. This explains why so many insects can be found 

 near saw-mills, and chiefly upon freshly cut boards. 



Notwithstanding the bad odor of the bed-bugs they have 

 a number of enemies that are said to destroy them. Prof C. 

 Yogt writes that the inhabitants of Switzerland claim that 

 fleas and bugs were living in a state of war, and that the 

 fleas had to leave dwellings occupied by bed-bugs, which 



Fig. 166. — Water-boattnan. Greatly enlarged. Original. 



w^ould indicate that fleas are very sensible insects. Prof. 

 Riley says that little red ants, if invading a house infested 

 wath bed-bugs, make short work of the latter, and tear them 

 to pieces wherever found. This may be a consolation, but 

 these ants are far from being good tenants in our dwelling 

 places. 



A number of blood-thirsty bugs are known that make it 

 their aim in life to destroj^ bed-bugs. This would be an ex- 

 cellent trait in the character of any bug, but these are other- 

 w^ise so stupid as to treat man and bed-bugs in the same 

 way by biting both, and as the bite of the Pirate-bug (this 

 is the name of the bed-bug destroying kind) is very poisonous 

 and painful, their presence in our houses is not desirable. In 

 the southern states several bugs, such as the Two-spotted 

 Corsair and the Blood-sucking Cone-nose or Big Bed-bug, 

 enter houses for the same laudable purpose but both kinds 

 make the same lamentable mistake and inflict the most pain- 

 ful bites which may disable a weak person for many days. 



