Extraordinary stories are current of the remarkable intelligence of 

 this insect in circumventing various efforts to prevent its gaining access 

 to beds. Most of these are undoubtedl}' exaggerations, but the inherited 

 experience of many centuries of companionship with man, during which 

 the bedbug has always found its host an active enemj^ has resulted in 

 a knowledge of the habits of the human animal and a facility of con- 

 cealment, particularly^ as evidenced by its abandoning beds and often 

 going to distant quarters for protection and hiding during daylight, 

 which indicate considerable apparent intelligence. 



The bite of the bedbug is decidedlj^ poisonous to some individuals, 

 resulting in a slight swelling and disagreeable inflammation. To such 

 persons the presence of bedbugs is sufficient to cause the greatest 

 uneasiness, if not to put sleep and rest entirely out of the question. 

 With others, however, who are less sensitive, the presence of the bugs 

 mav not be recognized at all, and, except for the occasional staining of 



Fi«. 3.— Bedbug (Cimex leciularhtsw a, larval skin shed at first molt; b. second larval stage 

 taken immediately after emerging from «,- c, same after first meal, dist(!Hded with blood. 

 Greatly enlarged (original). 



the linen by a crushed individual, their presence might be entirely over- 

 looked. The inflammation experienced by sensitive persons seems to 

 result merely from the puncture of the skin by the sharp piercing setse 

 which constitute the puncturing element of the mouth parts, as there 

 seems to be no secretion of poison other than the natural fluids of the 

 mouth. 



The biting organ of the bedbug is exactly like that of other hemip- 

 terous insects. It consists of a rather lieavy, fleshy under lip (the 

 only part ordinarily seen in examining the insect), within which lie 

 four thread-like hard filaments or setEe which glide over each other with 

 an alternating motion and pierce the flesh. The blood is drawn up 

 through the beak, which is closely applied to the point of puncture, and 

 the alternating motion of the seta^ in the flesh causes the blood to flow 

 more freely. The details of the structure of the beak are shown in fig- 

 ure 1 at (J. In common with other insects which attack man, it is 

 entirely possible for these iiests to be transmitters of contagious diseases. 



