The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1891-01-24
HOUSEWIVES PESTS.
IsImts ns so Ways in which They
May be Destroyed.

There are some fortunate people III
this world whom | have heard say that
they never saw Il bedbug," said Prof.
Riley to writer for the Washington
S.ar. Some of these were boarding
house kcelerP, who invariably assert
that such an animal has never come
under their observation, although pos
sibly the dwellers in their establish
mcnts may find their COuches iairlY
mswarm; bat the really clean house
keeper never hesitates to admit the
possibility Of an incursion by this pest,
| which she knows go well can only be
kept ont by the vigilance which is the
price OF freedom from the Obieciiona'l
creature.
You must remember that the bed
| bug is a very ancient beast, boasting
an ancestry beyond that of the Oldest
| human family. Wherever man has
| pushed his way this fond friend has
followed. II had its original home,
probably in southeastern Europe and
The Asatic and African countries, near
the eastern end Of the Mediterranean.
Alasl ii did not choose TO remain
there. AS early as 1903 it was intro
duced to polite, and more particularly
10 other. society in England, whence il
was brought to America. Certain
malicious Investigators have asserted
that the insect originated on this conti-
rent, but there is the best evidence that
ii was personally known to such an
cient authorities as the play wright
! Aristophaues, as; well as TO Pliny
DiOscorldes and Aristotle.
This fascinating bug, by it's shape
is enabled to enter narrow creviceS In
bndsteads aud walls, and in such places
the females lay their eggs. These eggs
are white, OF an oval form, slightly mar.
rowed at one end, and allernated by 8
cap which breaks of, when the young
escape. The young bugs are whitisf
and nearly transparent. AS somt
people may have observed, bedbugl
have disagreeable smell, which arises
from certain minute odoriierous glands
The multiplication OF the bedbus
depends upon conditions more or les'
favorable. Do what you can TO en-
courage their propagation by providing
All even temperature such as you woul,
yourself enjoy, with plenty of loot
thrOLn in, such as you may yoursel
provide. and they will increase will
chsrming rapidity. They reconcile
themselves with singular philosophy tt
want of food, remaining-supposin
that you ars away abroad and no othe
diet is provided without susteuanc'
TO- as much as year. In fact, the,
will wait for you all almost indefinite
time hopefully 1t, is the fasting capac
iiy of the tedbug, together with ii
form SO well adapted for hiding, whic
renders il SO difficult to drive the crea
lures out of an infested house.
IF you really desire to get rid @
bGduugs, benzine is the best weapon
} Sprayed with a hand-atomizer 1t wi
penetrate the minutest cracks, and
sure death to the brute in all its stageI
g including the egg. Used thorough
: this process will destroy every bug i
r the house.
1T must not be supposed that th
| bcdbug is peculiarly house insec
a On the contrary, it IS often found
g The woods under the bark of trees, all
4 thence makes its way into the mo-
/ exclusive rural homes. There are als
0 cousins to the bedbug, whose bites al
: even more severe than those of II
: true animal. An example of these
e found in the lood-suckiDg cone nos,
which is found occasionally as far norl
a as New Jersey and Illinois It's bite
C very painful ana it absorbs surprisir
il amount OF gore at gulp."