SPECIES INJURIOUS TO WOOLEN GOODS, ETC. 59 



has a red stripe down tlie middle of the back, widening into projections 

 at tliree intervals. When disturbed it " plays 'ijossuni," folding up its 

 legs and antenn^JB and feigning death. As a general thing the beetles 

 begin to ai^pear in the fall, and continue to issue, in heated houses, 

 throughout tlie winter and following spring. Soon after issuing they 

 j)air, and tlie females lay their eggs in convenient si)ots. The eggs 

 hatch, under favorable (conditions, in a few days, and the larvae, with 

 plenty of food, develop quite rapidly. Their development is retarded 

 by cold weather or lack of food, and they remain alive in the larval 

 state, in such conditions, and particularly in a dry atmosphere, for an 

 almost indefinite period, molting frequently and feeding ui)on their cast 

 skins. Under normal conditions, however, the skin is cast about six 

 times, and tliere is, probably, in the North, not more than two annual 

 generations. When the larva reaches full growth the yellowish pupa 

 is formed Avithin the last larval skin. Eventually this skin splits down 

 the back and reveals the pupa, from which the beetle emerges later. 

 The beetles are day filers, and when not engaged in egg laying are 

 attracted to the light. They fiy to the windoAvs, and may often be found 

 upon the sills or panes. Where they can fiy out through an open window 

 they do so, and are strongly attracted to the flowers of certain plants, 

 particularly the family Scrophulariacea^, but also to certain Compositue, 

 such as milfoil {Achillea millefolium). The flowers of Spinea are also 

 strongly attractive to the beetles. It is probable, however, that this 

 migration from the house takes place, under ordinary circumstances, 

 after the eggs have been laid. 



In Europe the insect is not especially noted as a household pest, and 

 we are inclined to think that this is owing to the fact that car^iets are 

 little used. In fact, we believe that only where carpets are extensively 

 used are the conditions favorable for the great increase of the insect. 

 Carpets once put down are seldom taken up for a year, and in the 

 meantime the insect develops uninterruptedly. Where j)olished floors 

 and rugs are used the rugs are often taken up and beaten, and in the 

 same way woolens and furs are never allowed to remain undisturbed 

 for an entire year. It is a well-known fact that the carpet habit is a 

 bad one from other points of view, and there is little doubt that if car- 

 pets were more generally discarded in our more Xorthern States the 

 ''buftalo bug'' would gradually cease to be the household pest that it 

 is to-day. The insect is known in Europe as a museum pest, but has 

 not acquired this habit to any great extent in this country. It is 

 known to have this habit in Cambridge, ISIass., and Detroit, Mich., as 

 w ell as in San Francisco, Cal., but not in other localities. In all of 

 these three cases it had been imported from Europe in insect collections. 



REMEDIES. 



There is no easy way to keep the carpet beetle in check. When it 

 has once taken possession of a house nothing but the most thorough 



