The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-01-22
WEAPONS WITH WHICH TO FIGHT
BEDBUGS

WEAPONS WITH WHICH TO FIGHT
BEDBUGs.
Insect pests of the household, like the
poor, we have always with us, and Prof.
| Rileys fourth lecture at the Lowell In
stitute recently, on Little Known Facts
About Well-known Household Pests"
was, therefore, both timely and inter-
esting to the large audience gathered to
| hear him. The fist insect discussed was
ubiquitous bedbug. The original home
of the pest is probably Southern Europe
and the Asiatic and African countries
around the eastern end of the Mediter-
ranean. 1t was introduced into England
at least as early as 1903, and doubtless
reached America soon after extensive
settlement With plenty of food and an
even temperature they will multiply
! with great rapidity, while I'M
der contrary conditions reproduction is
greatly retarded Adult bugs have been
| known to remain alive for more than
year without u single meal, and this
fasting capacity is one strong reason
it is so difficult to cleanse an infested
house. For this purpose bcnzine is the
strongest weapon. Finely sprayed, it
| will penetrate the miuutest cracks, and
is sure death to the insect in all its
stages, including the eggs 1t is best APP
piled with hand atomizer and care
should taken that there is no fire or ar
titicial light in the room while such
spraying is being DONE the vapor of ben
zine being very explosive.
The little red ant is another of the
household pests, which we seem to owe
to the older Civilization of Europe. Ordi-
narily it is not a pest from the actual
loss which it occasions nv consuming
products, but from its inOrdinate ca
pacity for getting into things. A house
badly infested with these creatures is al
most rninhabitable. They form their
nests in almost any secluded spot inside
or outside the house, and the first thing
to do in fighting them is to find out
whence they come. If the nest is acces-
sible, a little kerosene will end large
part, if not all, of the trouble. Where
the nests are outside, nothing is easier
than to find them and destroy the inhab-
itants with kerosene or bisulphide of
carbon. The ants are peculiarly sus.
ceptible to the action of pyrethrum in
any form, be it Persian or Dalmation
powder or bunach, and free and per-
sistent use of this powder will accomp-
lish much.
Benzine was also recommended as the
best preventive of the ravages of the car
pet beetle. The lecturer then passed to
the consideration of that dread of the
hOusekeeper, the clothes moth Illus
trations of three species common in
America, all of European origin, were
given, and the differences in their habits
explained. On the question remedies
the lecturer said: During the latter
part of May or early in June, vigorous
campaign should be entered upon. All
carpets, cloth-covered furniture, clothes,
furs and rugs should be thoroughly
shaken and aired, and, if possible, ex-
posed to the sunlight as long as practi-
cable. If the house is badly infested, or
if any particular article is supposed to
be badly infested, free use of benzine
will be advisable. The benzine spray
will kill the insect in avery stage, and it
is one of the few substances which will
destroy the egg. l would, however, re-
peat the caution as to its infammability.
1.-The proper packing away of furs and
winter clothing during the summer
is serious matter. A great deal of I'M
necessary expenditure in the way of
cedar chests, and wardrobes, and vari-
GUS compounds in the way of powders,
have been urged by writers on these
pests. But experience fully proves that
after thorough treatment in May or
June, garments may be safely put away
for the rest of the season with no other
protection than wrapping them closely
in stout paper to preclude infection bv
some belated female. Cloth covered
furniture which is constant use will not
be harmed, and the same may be said of
cloth-lined carriages. Where such fur
niture is stored away in a dark room, or
where carriages are left in dark coach
houses through the summer, at least
two sprayings with benzine, say once in
June and once in August will be advisa-
BILE.
For cock reaches and fleas free use