196 THE BED-BUG. 
THE BED-BUG. 
(Acanthia lectularia Lann.). 
Some persons claim that they have never seen these 
parasites; this means that they have either been very for- 
tunate, or that they did not use their eyes or their nose, as 
bed-bugs are found wherever man has made a home for him- 
self. Itis a mooted point whence they came originally, but 
this, although interesting, makes but little difference at 
present, as they are now everywhere. 
The illustration (fig. 159) shows how this nasty insect 
looks. We see that, being a parasite, and no longer leading 
if 
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= 
i 

Fig. 159.—Bed-bug. Greatly enlarged. Original. 
a rambling existence like other bugs, but being a sort of 
domesticated animal, it has lost the wings, these being no 
longer required, and it possesses simply rudiments of them. 
These are indicated in the illustration, and look like a little 
chitinous flap on each side of the thorax. The adult bugs, as 
well as the younger ones, are well adapted to enter narrow 
cracks, having a very flattened shape, and in such shelters 
they hide during the day, being active only at night. They 
deposit during spring about fifty white and oval eggs, 
1.12mm. long, and similar to those shown in fig. 161, in the 
