AGRICULTURAL EXrERIMENT STATION. 119 



REMEDIES. 



Difficulties. — This is a very difficult insect to exterminate, the 

 despair of the shiftless housekeeper and nearly a Match for the 

 fastidious, uncomfortable ones who are ever upon the alert for the 

 last speck of dirt and first indications of insect pests. 



It does not readily yield to the ordinary insecticides like camphor, 

 cedar oil, pepper, tobacco, turpentine, carbolic acid and pyrethrum, 

 etc. Benzine when properly applied has been found to be the 

 most convenient and best remedy. Even with this the most ener- 

 getic and persistent measures are necessary. The aim should be 

 extermination of the pest in the house, as a few overlooked would 

 multiply rapidly and increase the difficulty. 



Precautions. — \'a'] There are quite a number of carpet insects, 

 beetles and moths. The first step should be the positive determi- 

 nation of the pest doing damage Learn to recognize the larvae, 

 pupge and beetles and then wage a ceaseless war against them in 

 every stage of their life history. If you do not know the insect, 

 or can not decide from the description given above that it is the 

 buffalo carpet beetle, then put some specimens in a tight metal box 

 and send them to the entomologist of the experiment station at 

 Orono, Me., and he will cheerfully name them. 



[6] Remember that benzine is an inflamable liquid. Do not 

 bring a light near it. Do not apply benzine to a room in the even- 

 ing when lights are burning or enter a room with a light when it is 

 filled with the vapor. It is well enough to keep a room closed 

 while the benzine is being applied so it will not evaporate too 

 rapidly. The strength of the vapor favors the destruction of the 

 larvffi and beetles. 



Having decided that you have the buffalo carpet beetle to grapple 

 with, then apply the following remedies. 



PREPARATION of ROOM. 



As the larvi^B crawl into cracks in the floor and under the base- 

 boards to transform, precautions should be taken to fill, so far as 

 possible, these hiding places. 



ft. Fill the cracks in the floor and the crevices at the bottom of 

 the baseboards carefully with a moderately thick mixture of plaster 

 of paris and water. This will set hard and prevent their entrance. 



