SOME INSECTS AFFECTING CHEESE, HAMS, FRUIT, ETC. 105 



THE RED-LEGGED HAM BEETLE. 

 (Xecroliia rufi\ 



Two or three species of small beetles belonging to the family Cleridae, 



and which are normally scavenger.-, feed occasionally upon dried meats 

 and other stored animal products. The most abundant one in this 

 country is the species indicated in the title. It is a small, rather slen- 

 der beetle of dark bluish color, with reddish legs. Its larva is a slender 

 worm, and is at first while, with a brown head and two small hooks at 

 tbe end of the body. As it becomes older it becomes darker, and when 

 full grown is grayish white, with a series of brown patches above. It 

 is then rather more than one-half an inch in length and transforms 

 within a paper-like cocoon. From the appearance of this cocoon the 



insect has become known 

 as the --paper worm' 7 to 

 dealers in hams and dried 

 meats. 



Xecrobiu rufipes is a cos- 

 mopolitan species, occur- 

 ring all over the United 

 States, in Europe. Austra- 

 lia. Africa, and the East 

 Indies. It is hardly a spe- 

 cies that causes a constant 

 drain upon the profits of 

 the trade, but occasion- 

 ally, under exceptional 

 circumstances, it becomes 

 extremely abundant, and 

 may ruin many hams. It 



£> 



Fig. 49.— Necrobia rujipes: a. larva: b. head 

 of same: c. adult beetle— a. c. enlarged; 

 tly enlarged (original). 



is by no means uncommon, and is particularly abundant in the West 

 and South. 



The injuries caused by this insect are generally due to careless pack- 

 ing of hams or to the accidental cutting or cracking or even to a con- 

 siderable stretching or fraying of the canvas covering. 



As indicated above, this insect is not confined to hams for its food, but 

 lives upon other dead animal matter, not always waiting, however, as do 

 certain other insects, for decomposition t<> set in before beginning 

 attacks. The beetle, appearing in May or June, cither having bred in 

 tbe storehouse or storeroom in question, or having flown in from the 

 outside, is attracted to the hams, and wherever it can find the slightest 

 bit of exposed meat it lays a number of minute, narrow, whitish eggs. 

 Such hams as have been injured by overheating or by hanging too long 

 in the sun, from rain, and particularly those which have become slimy 

 from lying too long in the pile, are those which attract it most: but it 

 never Seems t<> lay eggs except where the meat is more or less exposed. 



