Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1879-01-10
TROUBLESOME INSECTS.
Useful and Interesting Information for
Housekeepers.

Useful and Interesting Information for
HOasekeepers.
At a meeting Of the Boston society Of
natural history, DIR. II. A. Hagen, of
Cambridge, read an interesting paper
upon the carpet beetle and other house
pests. He said that when the insect
first appeared. in this country, six years
ago, he succeeded in tracing all the
cases which came under his notice TO
large carpet store, where there was
stock of imported carpets. The lee
turer's name appeared in the papers in
connection with the subject, and he has
since been in receipt of numerous bad
smelling packages, with letters claiming
each to be the newest and effectual
remedy. In some foreign countries so
widespread are the ravages of the in
sect that even the habits of dress have
been altered in consequence. 1t has
attacked not only wooden articles, but
furs and raw hides. The speaker passed
around among the audience specimens
of the larva and full-fedged beetle. The
process of development occupies about
five or six weeks. AS q remedy, the
speaker said, many things have been
recommended, but none of them result
ed in sure death. Bad smells we're princi-
pally recommended. Now, l think,
said the speaker, if anybody should try
to drive out OF his house all that he dis
likes by bad smells, he will finish by
being driven out himself besides that
several of the remedies recommended
are certainly not Of an innoxious char
acter. Next, the wholesale application
of kerosene and benzine was recon-
mended, only five gallons or more for
q small cottage. If it is certain that
every carpet bug drowned in kero-
sene or benzine is done forever,
/ think it is not considered that in
the use of those and kindred liquids
the insurance companies would
have something to say, and certainly
not be obliged to pay in case of
accident. / know one case in
which such things were used with so
much effect that nobody, pot even the
cat, could be induced to enter the room
for many weeks. I think the best way
to be followed would be first to prevent
the entrance of the insect. Therefore,
every new carpet or rug should be con-
sidered as dangerous, and treated as the
old ones; that is, exposed to the open
air, in sunshine if possible, as sunlight
the larvae cannot stand, and strongly
beaten before laid in the rooms. The
common custom, to order new carpets
in the store and lay them directly in the
rooms, is apparently the most danger
GUS course TO be pursued. Further, as
it is observed that the beetles by prefer
ence follow the cracks in the floor, ali
should be made tight, or at least filed
with tallow. The tallow is very dan
gerous substance for the Larvae, and
eagerly avoided by them, as the fat
easily attaches to the spiracles witt
killing effect. Therefore, the most com
mon tallow candle, being softer, is bet
ter than the purified. For the same
purpose, should recommend tallowet
paper to be put along the walls, only 6
foot or two, underneath the carpets, al
Just the place near the walls are thei
most chosen abode. Of course a careful
and more frequent inspection of the car
pets will be necessary if the number o
larvae seems to be in any way alarming
I think it will be impossible to get rid o
them entirely, but it will be certainl,
possible to keep them within limits, s.
that they will not be more dangerou
than any other house pest. It is an ex
pericnce since Biblical times that i
somebody happens to be something Of
rogue, anything wrong committed by an.
one else is put on his shoulders
The poor carpet-bug is an instance,o
this. The family of Anthrenus is an oil
and rather large one, and there exist
many cousins in the fifth Or later de
gree, who try to prove their relation
ship in being as obnoxious in the sam
line, and perhaps more. One orrier
cousin, Attage,lus MegatOnaG, is reall
as common as the carpet. bug, despisin
nothing in his way, and being NOR
injurious. Those beetles have props
gated in the last years enormously
houses and collections of objects {
natural history. One large beetle in
collection here in Boston harbored alon
$50 of these insects. I have, therefore
the conviction that perhaps half of a
the damage credited to the carpet,bue
and sometimes more, is done by a
MegGtomd, the cousin. Regardin
the habits of insects in genera
he said we often suffer from per
odical inroads of one variety or al
other. About century ago tn
Hessian fly was SO numerous in Il
country as to be great nuisanc
The farmers enemy, the canker-worr
is beginning to get uncomfortable sin,
the introduction of the English sparrov
New England has been remarkably fir,
from the common flea, which in par
of this and in nearly all foreign cou
tries is very numerous. The lectur
INDUCED in the not very encouragil
prophecy that we may ere long receive
visit from this natural enemy of man.
Poland, the paradise of feas, the rem
dy used is simple and effective. 1t co
sists of large basin of water set in
room at night, and in the centre of it
lighted candle is placed. The fees q
attracted to the light, fall into Il
water and are drowned. In the NOR
ing the water will be black with thel
1t is to be hoped that we shall not soC
be compelled to resort to this extremit