[15] THE NEW CARPET-BUG ANTHRENUS SCROPHULARI^E. ]27 



II. THE NEW CARPET-BUG -ANTHRENUS SCROPHULARLE. 



During the summer of 1874, notices appeared in various 

 newspapers of the ravages of a carpet-bug, quite different in its 

 appearance and in the character of its depredations from the 

 well-known carpet-moth, Tinea tapetzella, which for so long a 

 time had been the only known insect depredator on our carpets. 



Its liabitat was stated to be beneath the borders of carpets 

 where nailed to the floor, eating in those portions numerous 

 holes of an inch or^more in diameter. Occasionally it located 

 itself in the crevices left by the joinings of the floor, following 

 which, entire breadths of carpet would be cut across as by 

 scissors. In several instances carpets had been destroyed - 

 new ones as readily as older and it was questioned whether 

 their use could be continued, in view of a prospective increase 

 of the alarming ravages. 



The insect was new to every one, and no one could form a 

 rational conjecture as to what order of the Insecta it belonged. 

 It was described as a small ovate object, about one- eighth 

 of an inch in length, thickly clothed with numerous short 

 bristle-like hairs, and terminating in a pencil of these, form- 

 ing a tail. It was exceedingly active in its motions, and 

 when disturbed in its concealment would glide away beneath 

 the base-boards or some other convenient crevice so quickly 

 as in most instances to elude capture for its closer inspection. 

 They were found only during the summer months. 



In 1876 it was reported in many dwellings in Schenectady, 

 and in the month of July examples of it, for the first time, 

 came under my observation, taken, upon search having been 

 instituted, under the carpets of my residence at Schenectady, 

 where its presence had not been suspected. It was evident, on 

 the first inspection, that it was the larva of a beetle, and in 

 all probability a member of the very destructive family of 

 DERMESTLD^E, which comprises several of our most injurious 

 depredators on animal substances. 



A number of the larvae were secured and fed upon pieces of 

 carpet in order to rear them. In September they had evi- 



