204 



ENTOMOLOGY FOR MEDICAL OFFICERS 



ClMEX LECTULARIUS, L. 



The insect, which is of a reddish-brown colour, is about 

 one-fifth of an inch long, or rather less. The outline of 

 its broad head is shaped something like a crown, the 

 eyes projecting strongly. The 2 distal segments of the 

 antennae are much slenderer than the 2 basal segments. 

 The beak {cf. Fig. 86) forms a stout three-jointed sheath 

 for the bristle-like mandibles and maxillae. The prothorax 

 (Fig. 87) is large, its lateral margins are thin, and its 



Fig. 87.— Pronotum of 0, UtAvXariMS, 



Fig. 88. — Pronotum of C. rotumktius. 



anterior angles form two broad lobes on either side of 

 the head. The broad elytra are beset with hairs, each hair 

 springing from a pit. The abdomen consists of 8 segments ; 

 in the female it ends in a short, blunt lobe (Fig. 89) ; in the 



Pio. 89.— Tip of Abdomen of Bed-bug. 



Fio. 90.— Hatched Eggs of Bed-bug. 



male it also ends bluntly, and between the 7th and 8th 

 segments the large, curved penis (cf. Fig. 91) is ensheathed. 



The habits of the bed-bug are well enough known ; 

 during the day the insect hides in any kind of crevice, and 

 at night it comes forth " the very blood to suck," like ancient 

 Pistol. Bed-bugs do not appear to have any close breeding- 

 season, except that they refrain in very cold weather. 



The eggs (Fig. 90) are white and oval, and they cohere 

 in clumps : each has a lid, which is pushed off when the 

 larva emerges. The new-hatched larva is small and of 

 a transparent whitish colour ; it resembles the parent, but 



