New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-10
DREADED CROTON WATER BUG
EVERY HOUSEHOLDER NOW STUDYING
reaches
DIFFERENTIATION THE CHIEF AIM-rHE HABITS
AND LIFE HISTORY TOLD BY

AND LIFE HISTORY TOLD BY
UNCLE SAM
At this season OF the year every housekeeper.
willing unwilling, is obliged 10 take up the
study OF entomology. This is not at all matter
of voltion her part, and the curriculum Is sell
com 10 the taste Of the student.
As for object lessons, there is no lack. AS TOT
textbook Uncle Sam has generously PROVIDED ohe'
which Is Issued by the United States Department
of Agriculture. Division Of Entomology
Just at present the cockroach or Croton water
bug is at the zenith OF his midsummer career ana
a study OF his habits with view TO extermna'ioh
becomes in order. .
Reaches" SAYS Uncle Sans book, didactically.
"are among the commonest and most offensive OF
the insects which frequent human habitauohs'
To which statement every housekeeper cries
Amen and amen
They were well known TO the ancients' VINO
called them lucifuga. from their habit OF always
stunning the light The common English name
for them Is black beetle" In America this name
has not been adopted 10 any extent for TINS III
sect which was early introduced here. and the
term roach" "cockroach" is the common aP-
pellation OF all the domestic species.
The little German roach. however, is generally
known as the Croton bug from its early assocla-
ton with the Croton waterworks system IN This
city.
The popular designations Of this insect in Ger
many illustrate in amusing way both sectional
and racial prejudces. In North Germany these
reaches are known as "Schwaben" name which
applies 10 the inhabitants Of South Germany and
the latter section even up by calling them Preus-
cen" after the North Germans. In East Germany
they are called "Russen" and in West Germany
"Franzosen" the two latter appeatons indi-
eating certain national antipathy TO rival couh-
tries
The reaches belong to an extensive family the
Blattida comparatively few OF which. fortunately
have become domesticated While the domestic
species are few in number. nearly thousand spe-
ces OF Blattide have been described and preserved
in collections
The roach is one OF the most primitive and an
Gent insects fossil remains occurring In aoun-
dance in the early coal formations ages before the
more common forms OF insect life Of the present
day had begun to appear The species now exist
ing are few in number in comparison with the
abundance of forms in the carbonferous age.
which might with propriety be called the age or
cockroaches the moisture and warmth Of that dis
tant period being alike favorable 10 plant growth
and the multiplication Of this family Of insects
The house reaches OF to-day were undoubtedly
early associated with man in his primitive dwell
ings and through the agency OF commerce nave
followed him wherever navigation has extended.
In fact on shpboard they always especially
numerous and troublesome. the moisture and heat
OF the vessels being particularly favorable 70 their
development.
Although among the oldest insects geologcaly.
reaches have not departed notably from the early
types.
The house species as all the world knows. are
rather uniformly dark brown or dark colored,
celebration which corresponds with their habit OF
concealment during daylight. They are smooth
and slippery insects and in shapC -oac and nat
tened The head is infexed under the body so
that the mouth parts are directed backward ana
the ewes directed downward conforming win
hal
long and slender often having upward OF one nun
dred Joints The males usually have two pairs
OF wings the outer somewhat COURAGEOUS ana
the inner ones more membranous and once lolued
1onritudinally n species, as for instance
the black beetle the females are nearly wingless.
Tho Iegs are long and powerful and armed with
numerous strong bristles spines. The mouth
narts are well developed and with strong biting
laws enabling them TO eat all sorts OF SUBSTANCE
HABITS AND LIFE HISTORY.
In houses reaches are particularly abundant IN
nantries and kitchens especially IN the neighoor-
hood Of freplaces account OF the neat. ror
the same reason they are often abundant III INC
oven rooms OF bakeries or wherever the temper
Azure is maintained above the normal They cop-
ceaI themselves during the day behind baseooards'
furniture or wherever security and partial pro-
,action from the light afforded Their very
fat thin bodies enable them 10 squeeze themselves
into small cracks spaces where their presence
would be suspected. ana Wnert llIeS a4e ONN -
the reach Of their enemies. Unless routed our oy
the moving OF furniture disturbed in their hldlng
places they are rarely seen and II so uncovered
make of with wonderful celebrity.
r NAV often happen that their presence az
least IN the abundance In which they occur IS
hardly realized nv the housekeeper unless they
are surprised in their midnight feast
The domestic reaches are practically omnivorous'
feeding on almost any dead animal matter. cereal
products and food materials Of all sorts. They
are also said to attack other species OF reaches
and are cannibalistic. They will also eat or snaW
woollens leather (as Of shoes or furniturel ana
frequently are the cause OF extensive damage to
the cloth and leather bindings Of books in libraries
and publishing houses. The sizing or paste useu
on the cloth covers and in the binding OF books
seems 10 be attractive The surface Of the covers
Of clothbound books is often much scraped ana
| dsagured particularly by the German cockroach
| (Ectoba GermanicaJ. and the gold lettering Is
| sometimes eaten of 10 get at the albumen paste.
| In an ancient and quaint account Of this insect
| similar tendencies are noted follows:
| The Cockroach-These are very troublesome and
| destructive verrnin, and so numerous ana 'o.
racous that IT Is mp1ssDe 70 nv them Without
! close covering They fat and so thin that
noH o1Iv leather parchment and woollen. but linen
| and paper They disappear In winter. ana APP
Sr IT, IS az night they commit their depreda
| tons and bite people in their beds especially e"
! dren E fingers that are greasy
| The damage reaches do is not only in the prou-
| ucts actually consumed. but IN the soling ana
rendering nauseous Of everything with which they
| come in contact They leave. wherever they oG;I
! cur in any numbers, a fetid. nauseous odor. ~et
| known as the 'rOachy' odor. which Is persistent
! and cannot be removed from shelves and dlshes
without washing with soap and boillns We
| Food supplies so tainted beyond redernpl
| one redeeming trait is laid up TO the credit 81
| these insects namely that they will prey upon
that other grevous pest OF houses when are ny
| Subjected 10 careful supervision the oedoIe
| Their ma bits in this direction have been recorueu
| several times.
THEY KNOW THE HOUSEKEEPER.
Like the crows among BIRDS continues OHcIe