118 Forty-third Report on the State Museum. [22] 



Food of the Insect. 



This species is one of the most useful of its family — the Goccinel- 

 lidce — as it is of broad distribution throughout the United States, 

 and occurs on almost any kind of vegetation where plant-lice abound. 

 In its larval stage it is wholly cai'nivorous, its food consisting to a 

 great extent of plant-lice. In its imago or beetle stage, while largely 

 carnivorous, it is undoubtedly vegetarian in part, as examinations of 

 the stomachs of allied species of Hippodamia smdCoccinella have shown 

 them to be — in some instances their food having been ascertained to 

 consist of from fifty to seventy-five per cent of pollen of CompositcB 

 and other plants, and spores of lichens and fungi.* 



Its Domestic Habits. 

 The two-spotted lady-bird passes the winter as a perfect insect, and 

 has the habit belonging to several' insects, as notably that of the elm- 

 tree-beetle, Galeruca xanthomeloena, of Oiiorhynchus ovatus (one of the 

 Curculionidce), and of Chloropisca p)rolifica,'\ of entering dwelling-houses 

 for the purpose of hibernation; but of all the many species of the 

 lady-bugs, of which 141 are recorded in the Henshaw list, this 

 is the only one that possesses this domestic habit. During the winter 

 of 1886-7, following its unusual multiplication as the result of the 

 presence of an unprecedented number of plant-lice in hop-yards and 

 on other craps in the State of New York, it became remarkably 

 abundant in many dwellings. | 



Mistaken for the Carpet-beetle. 



When, at the advent of the first warm days of spring, it resumed 



' its activity, it was in many instances believed to be 



the greatly dreaded carpet-beetle. From many 



localities in the State examples were sent to me, 



%\ ^ asking if it was that insect, while in some instances 



' ^i 1 reported to me, it was not thought worth while to 



~| ' make the inquiry, but Ibe harmless creatures were 



ruthlessly gathered upon dust pans and thrown 



into the fire. It would hardly seem possible, after 



all that has been written and published of the 



bfeUe!'A?THKETu*slacly-bugs and of the carpet-beetle (pictures of the 



scROPHULAKi^. latter have been scattered broadcast over the land 



* Forbes: In Bulldin No. 6 of Illinois St. Lab. of Nat. Hist., Jan. 1883. pp. 51-55. 



t Fourth Report on thv Insects of Neio York, 1888, pp. 67-72. 



tA geutlemun in Boston, Mass., has reported it as a common insect in liis house 

 durins the winter mouths, for successive winters. There had seldom been more than 

 two or three days at a time when those lady-bugs had not been seen creeiiing or flying 

 about the house, invariably coming out and showing activity in his libi-ary every 

 evening as soon as the room became warm. At one time during colil wi^athor at least 

 1,000, as estimated, were on the inside of his front door. (Insect Life, i, 1888, p. 56.) 



