CELLAR BEETLES AND MEAL WORMS 37 



associates as were addicted to that practice. Still, it is 

 certain that there is a gang of nearly a dozen species 

 that will engage in this work of destruction whenever 

 they can get a chance, and the ringleaders are those 

 two great sinners, the corn and rice weevils. As these, 

 however, belong to the granary rather than to the 

 dwelling-house, we need not stay to describe them here. 



Our old friend, the omnivorous Niptus, sometimes 

 joins the ranks of these "corn-lovers," and Dr. Power 

 records having found it in hundreds in a quantity of 

 meal, which he transferred to a closely stoppered bottle, 

 where, notwithstanding that the bottle was never opened, 

 the insects continued to breed for three years, though in 

 gradually decreasing numbers. 



But our concern at present is with the Heteromerous 

 members of this gang of freebooters. They are chiefly 

 of small size, and none of them equal Blaps in stature. 

 By far the largest are those whose larvae constitute 

 the well-known " meal worms," belonging to the genus 

 Tenebrio, from which the whole family is named the 

 TenebrionidcB. The meal worms themselves we reserve 

 for a future notice, and turn our atten- 

 tion at present to the smaller species. 



First, we have two very closely allied 

 insects, called Tribolium ferrugineum 

 and T. confusum, the former of which 

 (Fig. 15) is much the commoner. They 

 occupy a position very inferior to the 

 corn-weevils in point of destructive- FIG. 15. Tribolium 



ferrugineum. 



ness, but still they are an enemy not 

 to be despised. They are both small, dark, reddish-brown 

 insects a colour referred to in the name ferrugineum, 

 " rusty " of insignificant appearance, and, like several 

 others of the group, do not rightfully belong to the 



