84 



NATURE STUDY AND LIFE 



fly into houses and attack men. Their bite is extremely 

 painful and quite venomous. Closely related to these 

 is the ** kissing bug," Reduviiis pcrsonatus. Its natural 

 food, so far as known, is the bedbug, hence it is common 

 in filthy cities ; but it sometimes bites man with somewhat 

 serious results. In its larval stages its body is covered 

 with a sticky substance. This collects dust and lint 



which effectually con- 

 ceal the insect and give 

 it one of its common 

 names, "the masked 

 bedbug hunter." The 

 insect may not uncom- 

 monly be found about 

 dusty corners of attics 

 or barn lofts, and the 

 adults are sometimes 

 found in beds, w^here 

 they are probably seek- 

 ing their natural food. 



Cockroaches. — Roaches 

 eat practically every- 

 thing they can gain 

 access to, often doing 

 serious damage even to book bindings in libraries. They 

 are nocturnal and live in damp, dark places, generally 

 about sinks, water pipes, and set tubs. They have a 

 nauseating odor and, as they are wont to congregate 

 about garbage, the thought of eating the food they have 

 touched is intolerable. They may also be carriers of 

 disease germs. 



a 



Fig. 35. The American Roach 



a, egg capsule ; b, adult. (Natural size. After 

 Marlatt) 



