The evening times., 1900-06-29
4 TIRB-PUNCIURING BUG
Chicago Sends Out Another Of lis
Periodical Sensations.
Report That n New and Dangerous
IaseC Has Appeared in the City of
and Is Making Its Way to the
EnSt-The Effect of Recent Rains.

Chicago can always Be relied upon for
new sensations The latest sent out from
the Windy City is that a terrible bug has
made its appearance there and has pro-
ceeded on its devastating way toward the
East.
As this dreadful creature makes a spe-
cialty Of puncturing tires. and as more
people use bicycles in Washington than In
any other city OF similar size in the coun-
try the extent OF the apprehension felt
here may be imagined
II is stated that the insect will remain
perched for hours on the inner rim Of a
bicycle awaiting favorable tine for pune
turing the tire. which IS always an unfa-
vorable time for the rider. Two needle
Ike weapons possessed b. the bug are
used to wound the tire. and a third is
waved about viciously to ward of interfer-
ence with depredaiions. Primarily the OBJ
ject of the insect is to place an egg with
in the tire. but secondarily is is said the
insect becomes engorged with air in the
process and falls of helpless. OF course
the insects are reported TO be most nu-
merous around bicycle tracks.
Ever since the statement was made on
apparent scientific authority that the mos
quito was the chief medium OF the propa-
cation and transference OF malaria germs
Washingtonians have been on the lookout
for insects Of all sorts, and they have be
come more or less expert in Identifying
the species supposed to possess elements
of danger.
DR.. Philip r. Uhler. Of Baltimore, who
has given a lifetime Of study to insects and
has remarkable collection Of over 80, 200
different species. has characterized the
Chicago insect as "humbug"
According to Dr. UhIer this ferociOus
bug Is nothing more nor less than what is
known as the giant water bug, but which
has no English name. To scientists it is
known as Belestoma Americana. II is
common all over the country north from
Mexico but its wing-carTying capacity
would not take il from Chicago 10 the East
or for any long distance. Each city and
town must develop its own crop of bugs,
and for Washington the general opinion is
that the local bug Is equal TO all occasions
without help from its Western brothers.
This water bug is OF mahogany color;
the Chicago bug is described as brown. II
may be two inches long and comes up in
swarms from the Spring Gardens to circle
about the electric lights in the city
streets. Water is its breeding place, be-
cause there Is found its favorite food,
young fishes in the mud. from which the
bugs suck blood. AS bad as this may seem,
humans need have no fear, for the blood
thirstyness Of the bug does not extend to
human beings. Only by accident do these
bugs bite persons and then the rather for
Misunderstanding beaE. which may be
quarter of an inch long and ends in a
needle point, is sunl- into the skin without
poisonous accompaniment
The favorite occupation OF this bug Is to
circle about an electric or other bright
light, which has an especial fascintion for
insects. until it bSmps into some object and
falls stunned to tae ground. There weak
ly bGzzing. the bUs may be crushed on the
sidewalk by passing pedestrian or may
retain enough vitality to crawl off TO safe
ty. The supply Of bugs is kept up by the
500 eggs deposited by each female Of the
species.
Chicago. so the story goes. has found
that this bug belongs to the hemiptera
As there are about so 600 of these. the en-
tomologists say there is something more
to be learned about the insect. The hem
iptera means literallF half-winged. as the
bases Of the Insects wings are solid while
the tips are membTsnous. Of course ii has
six legs, the two front ones terminating Ia
hook-like claws which may be closed like
a pair Of scissors, but not moved up and
down.
So the supposea strange bug from the