New York State Museum Bulletin 



Entered as second-class matter November 27, 1915, at the Post Office at Albany, New York, 

 under the act of August 24, 191 2 



Published monthly by The University of the State of New York 

 No. 194 ALBANY, N. Y. February i, 191 7 



The University of the State of New York 

 New York State Museum 



John M. Clarke, Director 

 HOUSEHOLD AND CAMP INSECTS 



BY EPHRAIM PORTER FELT SC.D. 



INTRODUCTION 



The almost constant demand for information relating to house- 

 hold insects has resulted in practically exhausting the edition of 

 Museum Bulletin 136 dealing with the control of flies and other 

 household insects. There have been since the above-mentioned 

 bulletin appeared several important discoveries in relation to 

 remedial measures, in particular the availability of dilute solutions 

 of arsenite or arsenate of soda and the comparatively inexpensive 

 and nearly harmless sodium fluoride for the destruction of ants 

 and some other insects, and the efficiency of superheating. The 

 household insects. are, broadly speaking, the camp and field pests of 

 man, and since under army conditions the need for control in the 

 one situation or the other may alternate rapidly, it was considered 

 advisable to cover both phases in this pubHcation. There have been 

 added, largely for convenience, brief discussions of control meas- 

 ures for a few of the more important pests of domestic animals. 



The role played by insects as carriers of disease is appreciated 

 only in part. The movement and intermingling of large bodies of 

 men having different sanitary ideals is a menace to those with 

 higher standards, and this danger is not lessened by the present 

 disturbed conditions of commerce. Fraternization, voluntary or 

 involuntary, has its perils as well as advantages. Important lessons 

 in the control of insects under camp and field conditions have been 

 learned during the great struggle now approaching its third anni- 

 versary. A general knowledge of the habits of these pests and 

 methods of controlling them, unpleasant though it may be, means 

 greater comfort, better health and increased efficiency. 



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