THE SKIN BEETLES. 



:,!)! 



1125 (3421). Dermestes talpinus Mann.. Bull. Mosc, II. 1843, 257. 



Elongate, subcylmdrical. Thorax densely clothed with variegated hairs ; 

 elytra black, clothed with dark bluish-gray, clay-yellow and black hairs; 

 antenna 1 fuscous ; femora with white rings at middle. Length 5.5-6.5 mm. 



Lawrence County; scarce. May 9. Known heretofore from 

 Idaho and Nevada, westward. Verified by II. C. Fall. 



*1126 (342S). Dermestes velpixus Fab., Spec. Ins.. I. 1781, G4. 



Elongate, subconvex. Elytra piceous. uniformly and rather sparsely 

 clothed with a mixture of black and grayish-yellow hairs ; last ventral seg- 

 ment brown with two white spots at base. Fourth ventral segment of male 

 with a median pit bearing a bunch of brown hairs. Length 6-9 mm. 



Lake. Vigo. Putnam and Monroe counties; frequent. January 

 13-Deeember 12. Hibernates. 



1127 (3424). Dermestes pelcher Lee, Proc. Phil. Acad. Xat. ScL, VII. 

 1854, 108. 



Oblong-oval, subdepressed. Head, thorax and basal fifth of elytra uni- 

 form pale reddish-brown ; remainder of elytra black. Length 6-6.5 mm. 



Marion County; scarce. Hibernates. March 20-December 11. 

 Taken from beneath bark of ash logs. 



*112S (3425). Dermestes lardaries Linn.. Faun. Suec. 140. 



Elongate, moderately convex. Black or piceous ; 

 elytra with base marked as shown in Fig. 223 ; under 

 surface and legs black with fine, sparse yellowish 

 pubescence. Thorax black with a few small isolated 

 tufts of yellowish pubescence, finely and densely punc- 

 tate. Length 6-7.5 mm. (Fig. 223.) 



Throughout the State ; frecpuent. February 

 7— July 21. This species, known as the "ham 

 beetle." the "larder beetle/' etc.. has been 

 widely distributed by commerce and is often a 

 household pest, especially where bacon and hams 

 are stored. It is said that they can be attracted 

 by baits of old cheese and then gathered and de- 

 stroyed. Where a smoke-house or storeroom is 

 overrun with the beetle, its contents should be cleared out and the 

 room either sprayed with benzine or subjected to strong fumes 

 of bisulphide of carbon. "Where a ham or other object is already 

 infested, the affected portion should be cut away and the surface 

 of the remainder washed with a very weak solution of carbolic 

 acid. If thereafter the windows arc screened with fine wire gauze 

 and the doors kept tightly closed, the contents will probably be 



[38— 23402] 



Fig. 223. (After Howard. 

 Bull, i X. Ser. Div. Ent, U. 

 S. Dep. Agr.) 



