Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-15
ELECTRIC LIGHT BUGS
Advance Guard of Mighty Army About
to Arrive.
Peculiar rites of the BcIostoma and
the Benncus, With Something
About Beetles and May Flies.

The advance guard Of the great army Of
what are known as the electric light bugs
has reached Washington. and from now
until midsummer they will be iuttering
around the bright spots in the night in
prod1g1o1s quantities. There are two va
rleti@s OF what are strictly known as the
electric light bugs, and both are so nearly
alike that they can be distinguished apart
only on close examination Beth are large
water bugs, and are known to the ento-
molog1sts as Belostoma Americana and
benacus Griseus. They are wingless in
their early stages CT life and live in fresh
water ponds and streams, where they feed
upon insects and small fish, but when full
grown they start powerful wings and are
vigorous flyers. They then leave the ponds
and streams where they were reared and
ny ny out in search Of new breeding places
Wnlch are not SO crowded or where there is
more abundant food. They fly only by
night and are thus attracted by electric
lights.
Once Considered Scarce.
A most curious thing about these bugs is
that before the Introduction of electric
Ilghts they were considered to be compar-
atively rare They were seldom seen, as
they were not attracted by ordinary light
When the arc light appeared, however, the
bugs became enormously noticeable.
Upon their appearance in such pro-
d1glous numbers, entomologists were of the
opinion that after two or three years both
species would grow scarcer, but the num-
bers do not seem to be decreas sing in the
slightest. While neither the Belostoma nor
the Benacus is distinctly poisonous, both
nave strong beaks, capable of inf1icting
severe wounds, and it will be wise to ham
Gle them with great care, if at all.
The very large black water beetle will
also be seen among the water bugs around
l to 100.
credible quantities, and on one occasion
near syracuse, N. Y, an electric light was
paced IN a railroad cut where there was
, DeHeVed to be danger from q, landslide
such an extent that the cut was filled to
the depth of several inches, and in pass
ing through train caused the bodies Of
the beetles to pop like track torpedoes, and
sanded. "
| The water bugs described above, how
ever, are the true electric light bugs. 1t is
estimated that min etyNne out of every
ore hundred which are ATTRACTED by the
GLOW or arc lamps die around Them Still
their numbers do rot apparently diminish.
AS snail fish are their food IL all stages of
their growth 1t can be realized what de-
| ~
streams. 70
May Flies in Myriads.
There will pe another familiar army of
visitors along in a short while. e They will
come in yellow clouds and make reading
| impossible and writing bore as soon as
the gas Is lit. They are the May flies, most
fragile and delicate of water witches The
May flies live for three years under water
i only to die after living three DAYS out of
1t. They are of the family Of the ephen,-
eridae. and they take no food during
their lives above water because they have
no development of their mouth parts. So
/ they virtually exist on themselves until
| they arc exhausted. May flies only
| found near large bodies of water but to
find them in real thickness one must visit
Lake Superior. Frequently in May fly sea-
| son the shore Of Lake Superior for miles
Will be covered with a layer of May flies
! four feet thick!
May flies in their undeveloped state, and
| after they are winged as WELL furnish
food for innumerable fish. and consequent
| ~ are among the most valuable Of insec IS
In practical sense.