THE AQUARIUM, JANUARY, 1897. 



93 



THE RED SPIDER. 



Among the mites we find many 

 species, some beneficial to man, others 

 noxious. In a list of the former we 

 may mention the locust mite (Trombi- 

 dium locastarium, Riley) which preys 

 upon both the locust and its eggs. It 

 is an important auxiliary in checking 

 the multiplication of the Rocky Mount- 

 ain locust. Another species ( Uropoda 

 Ame?'icana, Riley) preys upon the 

 Colorado potato beetle, while still 

 another ( Tromhidiiwi niuscaritm,'Riley) 

 infests, in the larva state, the common 

 house fly. 



Among the noxious species are the 

 itch mite, the cheese mite, the jigger, 

 or harvest mite, of the more Southern 

 States {Se^jfus America?i7cs, Riley), and 

 the one at present under consideration, 

 the red spider. 



A curious fact in the life history of 

 these tiny creatures is that they are 

 born with but six legs, though in the 

 adult state they have eight. 



The red spider, which is such a pest 

 to the florist, thoroughly dislikes water. 

 It cannot thrive in a humid atmos- 

 phere, nor on plants often drenched 

 with water. On the other hand it 

 multiplies rapidly in a dry air so that 

 some florists consider it a certain evi- 

 dence that their plants are not receiving 

 sufficient water when the spider ap- 

 pears. Drench the leaves of infested 

 plants often with water in which is a 

 little Avhale oil soap. See that every 

 leaf is thoroughly moistened, and re- 

 peat the sprinkling frequently, accord- 

 ing as the weather is hot and dry, and 

 the pest will soon disappear. It is bad 

 on vines and shade trees only in the 

 hot, dry weather of midsummer, and 

 needs most watching then. 



Subscribe for The Aquarium now. 



Copyriglit by Hugo Mulcrtt. 



Comparative Thermometer Scales and Inch and 

 Centimetre Measures. 



