290 INSECTS 



Family Dermestidje 



Dermestes mdpinus, Fabr. Bacon Beetle 



This most destructive beetle was first recorded by A. Purdie, who 

 found specimens among some paper, wrapping a collection of geo- 

 logical specimens received in Dunedin from Australia in 1884. It 

 appears to be very common in many parts, and Captain Broun 

 reported to the Agricultural Department in 1895, that he had spent 

 "three days in the Government Buildings, Auckland, destroying this 

 pest, which threatened injury to official documents and other property 

 stored in the cellars." Mr A. M. Wright, Chemist to the Christchurch 

 Meat Co., records an experience they had with this insect at the 

 works at Picton, when it caused a good deal of damage to the wood- 

 work of the manure building, and invaded the adjoining fellmongery 

 building. I give his own account of the trouble : 



At the time we were storing in the manure-shed a quantity of partly- 

 dried shank-bones with wool adhering, and this at one time became almost 

 a heaving mass of larvse which spread about the whole building, boring 

 into bones, wood, and even the lead covering of some concrete, where 

 they buried themselves until they appeared as the insect. 



The remedy lay in the removal of the pardy-dried shank-bones outside, 

 and with this precaution, as well as a general care to prevent none but 

 dried oifal manure within the building, the hatching ground of the pest 

 was removed, and little or no trouble has been found since. For one year 

 we specially treated all our manure in a dryer at the close of the season, 

 in order to kill all eggs and larvx before sending any out to clients. The 

 danger at one time seemed so acute that plans were actually prepared to 

 pull down the wooden block and replace it with a brick building, but 

 fortimately the pest was practically eliminated. We were not able to trace 

 definitely the point of origin of this insect, but its presence first became 

 evident after the arrival of some material from Dunedin, and also from 

 Australia. 



I find that this beetle is in pretty well every manure factory in 

 the country, and is considered a very serious pest, on account of its 

 destructive attacks on the woodwork. It also occurs in many places 

 where fur, hair, skin, etc., are stored, as it eats these materials. 

 Mr Hudson reports (on the authority of Mr Creagh O'Connor) that 

 this bettle is very destructive to sheep-skins. 



Mr A. T. Potter found this beetle in a building in Whangarei 

 in December, 1895, it having been probably imported from Sydney, 

 and observed its habits. He says : 



the beetle propagates only in very hot weather. When about to change 

 from the larva into the pupa state, it will burrow into sound woodwork 

 of a building, which in some cases is reduced to a honeycomb. The eggs 

 hatch (at 70°) in from four to seven days. The mature larva after moulting 



