i6o Insect, Fungous and Other Pests. [june, 



washes recommended against aphides or plant lice (see Leaflet 

 No. 104) are effective against snow-flies if the spray used really 

 reaches the insects, but as these are found on the under surface 

 of the leaves (where also the eggs are laid) spraying should be 

 done carefully to ensure the under surface being wetted. In 

 an ordinary garden or on a small area good results can be obtained 

 by placing here and there among the attacked plants newly- 

 tarred or varnished boards, which act as traps. The boards 

 may usefully be attached to stakes. Fumigation with hydro- 

 cyanic acid gas has, however, been experimentally found to be 

 the best method of combating Aleyrodes in glass-houses. 



Larder Beetle. — A species of beetle submitted to the Board, 

 and stated to be infesting a large ham and bacon warehouse,was 

 found to be Dermestes lardarius, or the larder beetle. Both 

 adult and larva are harmful, the latter having been recorded 

 as attacking many kinds of animal food. The eggs are laid by 

 the beetle in any crevices, and hence in covering up hams, &c, 

 care should be taken that there are no chinks through which 

 the female can introduce her eggs, or through which the larvae 

 can crawl on hatching. The life-history can be passed through 

 rapidly, six to eight weeks only being necessary to complete a 

 generation. 



Where articles in a store are attacked, the best plan, if at all 

 feasible, is to fumigate with hydrocyanic acid gas or (preferably 

 perhaps) with bisulphide of carbon. The fumigation would 

 need to be repeated in a fortnight in order to destroy the larvae 

 which had meanwhile hatched from eggs unharmed by the first 

 fumigation. In one recorded case of a bad infestation, advan- 

 tage was taken of the fact that the beetles were fond of cheese. 

 Pieces of cheese were placed about openly, the beetles were 

 attracted, taken by hand, and destroyed. The process was 

 continued and relief obtained from the infestation. Once 

 overcome, the beetles may be kept out by screening windows, 

 &c., with fine wire gauze. Where any hams or pieces of bacon 

 have been infested, the portion affected should be cut away 

 and the surface rubbed or washed with a strong solution of sali- 

 cylate of soda or salicylic acid. 



Weevils. — Several species of weevils have been submitted 

 for identification, among them being specimens of the granary 

 or corn weevil (Calandra granaria) from Presteign, where they 



