The evening times., 1896-08-06
'sNlRN ABOUT lRG LIGHTS
Poisonous Insect Attractedsby
the Bright Glare. :.
FORMERLY LIVED IN. WATER
BEFORE Electric Lishts-wero Intro-
duced This species Was considered
a Rarity by scientists-,Now Mill
Ions Are Killed Every Year ard
Their Number seems 90 Increase.

T. :
The electric light, with all its adyan-
tages, has also it's dfawhlcksF tsiias yir-
tuaily created the electrle-light bug. This
innocentrlooking insect, which, however, is
armed with a poisonous by poier,nic syringe,
was almost unknown before the light was
introduced. The bright glare seems TO fas-
cnate these creatures. and they dash
against the globe until finally they faiIex-
hausted To the pavement below.
In the warmer month this bug COMES
forth as soon as the lights appear. often in
such clouds as To obscure it. On the bnsi-
ness streets, where electric lights are
thickest, pavements are literally covered
with the insect, SO thick that one or more
Is crushed at every step.
Brfore tile general Introduction OF elec-
trio lights. this species OF insect, whose
proper name Is the American BoIostoma
was supposed BY entomologists to exist
only in exceedingly small numbers, for
specimens had always been difficult to
procure. Upon the appearance ofthe tight,
however, they appeared In such swarms
that scientists agreed that so small a tribe
Eiust soon become extinct. at the rate
which they were dying. But each year
since then millions of the bolostama have
been Killed In the cities, and still they come
as thickiy as ever.
INHABITs THE WATER.
Tie bolostoma is an aquatic insect. and
stops in the city on its trips from water u
water. Those found In thiscity are ON their
way from the marshes OF the Potomac to
the smaller streams further inland, where
they deposit their eggs
These eggs hatch out much smaller
insect, which, ip appearance, is q pro-
tciype OF the parent bug, save that it Is
not winged. The bugs pass through sew
erai stages, each time growing pTger,
until finally appears the fullsized electric
lisht big, which has become such a nui-
sance. They are slightly poisonous.
Said a well-known cntumologist, in
speaking Of this bug: -Some four yearsago
l happened, On enc of my nightly ento-
niologicai expeditions, to pick up carelessly
hoiostoma, which was struggling On the
ground. Suddenly felt a sharp pain run
ming up my left arm,. starting from the
middle finger, and l was obliged to drop
the bug at once. The finger smarted 10.
several days
Some time later caught more care
fully another folOstonia, and sub jected
il TO u microscopic examination. found
he possessed sharp. daggerlike heak, pro
vided with poison glands, which operate on
the principle of tie hyrodernic syringe.
The American Boiostoma, brownish-
lack In color, is true orthodox bug,
and belongs to a group known as beterop-
| terra by scientists. This species haye two
| pair OF wings, and are armed with large
front legs, well adapted to holding their
| prey. The four other legs are thick and
fiat. for the purpose Of swimming.
REFORMED ITS MODE OF LIVING.
In fact, the Bolostoma is an aquatic
bug, but the nineteenth century electric
| light has reformed It's mode of life. aud
it now takes nightly trips to- the city.
Here, after many fruitiess endeavors to
| get at the light, i. falls either exhausted or
| stunned by the globe. generally on its buck.
to be trod upon by passersby. In this way
millions OF them Ire killed, but the species
| is apparently inexhaustihle.
1.-THE eIectric-light bug is exclusively an
| American product, being found in no other
| country. 1t is carniy living on the
! spawn OF fish and frogs, and has often inter
| fered seriously with the work Of the Fish
Commission in their efforts tstopropagate. II
lives for the most part under water, being
| provided with q series of air-hoies along
| the side, by means OF which it extracts the
| oxygen from the water"