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SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION LIBRARIES 



3 9088 01272 7087 



abandoned some time before. The premises proved to be swarming 

 with bedbugs ; but very shortly afterwards the little red house ant dis- 

 covered the presence of the bedbugs and came in enormous numl»ers, 

 and Mr. Pergande witnessed the very interesting and pleasing sight of 

 the bedbugs being dismembered or carried away bodily by these very 

 minute ants, many times smaller than the l)Ugs which they were hand- 

 ling so successfully. The result was that in a single day the bedbug 

 nuisance was completely abated. The liking of red ants for bedbugs is 

 confirmed also by a correspondent writing from Florida (F. C. M. Bog- 

 gess), who goes so far as to heartily recommend the artificial introduc- 

 tion of the ants to abate this bug nuisance (Insect Life, Vol. VI, p. 

 340). Bed])Ugs arid other household insects, however, are not of the 

 sort which it is convenient or profitable to turn over to their natural 

 enemies in the hope that eradication by this means will follow, and the 

 fact that they are preyed upon by other insects furnishes no excuse to 

 the housekeeper for not instituting prompt remedial measures. 



Approved : 



•Iames Wilson, 



Secrefary of Agriculfare. 



A\'ASHiN(rrox, I). C, January l'>, 1!H)7 . 



O 



