[109] COLLECTING AND PRESERVING INSECTS RILEY. 



larv« of some lialf dozen or more species of Dermestidse belonging to 

 the genera Antlirenus, Attagenus, Trogoderma, and Dermestes. Of 

 these Antlirenus varius is tlie more common pest, in museums, espe- 

 cially in the ISTorth and East. In the South and West Trogoderma tarsale- 

 and T. ornatum ( ?) replace Anthrenus. The European species Antlirenus: 

 musceorum, is, on the authority of Hagen, rare in this country, and 

 probably occurs chiefly in collections of imported insects. It is the 

 common injurious species of Europe. Antlirenus scropliularice (see Fig. 

 67) occurs also in collections. Dr. Hagen stating that he has found it, 

 nearly as common as A. varius, and certainly more dangerous. In my 

 own experience it is rarely found in insect collections. Two species of 

 Attagenus {A. pellio and A. megatoma) have also been found in collec- 

 tions. A. megatoma has been found by Dr. Hagen to do not a little 

 damage to insect collections in Cambridge, as well as to equal if not 

 exceed the Carpet Beetle in its disastrous attacks upon carpets and 

 household furniture. The other species, A. pelUo, is rarely found in this 

 country, but is much more common and obnoxious in Europe than A. mega- 

 toma. Dermestes lardariiis is sometimes found in collections, and is, 

 attracted by the presence of animal matter such as skins, etc. The two 

 particuliarly destructive pests, as pointed out, are Antlirenus varius and 

 Trogoderma tarsale. These species, together with most of the others, 

 have^ no definite breeding period, but, in the uniform temperature of the 

 laboratory or museum, breed all the year round and present no definite 

 broods. It is the experience at the Museum that the boxes on the 

 lower tier of shelves are very much more subject to attack than those on 

 the upper tiers, from which it would seem that the parent beetle 

 deposits her eggs outside the boxes on the floor of the cases and that 

 the young larvae work their way into the smallest crevices. The danger 

 of infection by these pests is greater in warm climates like that of Wash- 

 ington than in regions further north, as the warm season begins earlier,, 

 lasts longer, and furnishes better conditions for breeding 

 and multii)lication. 



Remedies. — The following remedies and preventives 

 will prove efQcient in checking or preventing the work of 

 these pests. 



JSfaplitlialine. — Where tight boxes are employed little fear 

 of the work of these destructive agents need arise, espe- 

 cially if the boxes are kept supplied with repellent nai)h- 

 thaline cones. These are hard cones of naphthaline, 

 mounted on pins for convenient placing in the boxes (see 

 Fig. 122), and may be obtained of dealers in entomological j,j„. ^22.— 

 supplies. ]S"aphthanne cones act as repellents to these ^ '"'^P^^g^^'^^ 

 insects and also to some extent retard the development of the larvse in 

 all stages and particularly of the eggs. 



Mr. Schwarz states {Proc. Ent. Soc. of Washmgton, Vol. i, page 63) 

 that in place of these cones a form of naphthaUne may be used which. 



