THE BEDBUG 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 



Its presence explained 3 



Origin; common names; distribution 4 



Varieties and related insects 5 



General characteristics 5 



The " buggy " odor 6 



Habits and life history 6 



Page. 



Food and longevity 9 



Influence of temperature 10 



The bite of the bedbug 11 



The bedbug and human diseases 11 



Natural enemies of the bedbug 12 



Remedies 13 



ITS PRESENCE EXPLAINED. 



THE presence of the bedbug (fig. 1) in a house is not necessarily 

 an indication of neglect or carelessness; for, little as the idea may 

 be relished, this insect may gain access in spite of the adoption of 

 all reasonable precautions. It is very apt to get into the trunks 

 and satchels of travelers, or into baskets of laundry, and may thus 

 be introduced into homes. Unfortunately, also, it is quite capable 

 of migrating from one house to another and will often continue to 

 come from an adjoining house, sometimes for a period of several 

 months, gaining entrance daily. Such migration is especially likely 

 to take place if the human inhabitants of an infested house leave 

 it. With the failure of their usual source of food, the migratory 

 instinct of the bedbugs is developed, and, escaping through win- 

 dows, they pass along walls, water pipes, or gutters, and thus gain 

 entrance into adjoming houses. In these or other ways anyone's 

 premises may be temporarily invaded. 



Nevertheless, the presence of the bedbug in liouses, both from the 

 standpoint of personal comfort and the possible carriage of disease, 

 is not to be hghtly considered, and the failure on the part of anyone 

 to institute immediate efforts of eradication will warrant the odium 

 which is properly attached to ''buggy" premises. The most impor- 

 tant purpose of this bulletin is, in addition to giving a general 

 account of this house pest, to indicate effective means by which it 

 can be eradicated promptly. 



1 Cimex lectularius L.; order Hemiptera, suborder Heteroptera, family Cimicidae. 

 1376r-Bull. 754-18 3 



