828 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 
Household insects (nos. 84-99). The species represented in this 
group are but 16 in number, yet many a housewife would prefer 
to fight. two or three less prolific pests, rather than any one of 
several which may be named in the list. Recent investigations 
have shown-that not only is the common house fly a nuisance 
about the house, but also that it is a menace to the good health 
of the community. A reduction of its numbers is compara- 
tively easy. The cheese skipper, noticed in detail in the 12th 
report of the state entomologist, is of much interest to cheese 
makers. The croton bug, cockroach, carpet. beetles, clothes 
moths and other familiar pests in the home have been treated 
briefly by the state entomologist in the transactions of the New 
York state agricultural society for 1899. r 
Insects affecting stored food products (nos. 100-8). This small 
group, comprising but nine species, includes some very injuri- 
ous forms. The most important are, the grain moth (a species 
which has caused considerable injury to wheat on Long Island 
and adjacent localities last year and this), the bean weevils and 
the cigarette beetle. Most of these-insects breed readily in 
various dried food products and not infrequently they are 
sources of annoyance in the house. Most of these species have 
been briefly treated in bulletin 37 of the New York state 
museum. eet 
Beneficial insects (nos. 109-63). ‘This is an exceedingly import- 
ant group which is represented in the collection by 55 different 
species. A series of forms which carry pollen from one plant to 
another is shown in order to emphasize this function of 
insects. It may well be considered as one of the most 
important exercised by them. A few of the many beneficial 
parasites and predaceous enemies of insects are included, so 
that the farmer and others may have some idea of the appear- 
ance of beneficial forms. The mulberry silkworm and some of 
its allies comprise the portion of this group devoted to species 
of direct value or benefit to man. 
Scale insects, Coccidae (nos. 164-202). This exceedingly 
important group differs so widely from all other insects that its 
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