The Southern herald., 1913-01-31
Student HUNTS BUG
Member Of chronological staff
Tells Of Expedition.
Small BeetIe-Llke Insects Are Never
Known to Venture From crevlces
During Daylight-Rare Species
Are Worth $25.

Washington. who wage
incessant war on cockroaches and
other vermin are cautioned by en-
tomologists to stay their hands and
inquire carefully into the antecedents
of any black beeltelike bug which
peers around a corner Of the kitchen
sink. For the visitor may be none
other than one Of the amblychila
baroni ciclndelidae, the most aristo-
cratic family In bugdom, whose mem
bers retail at as much as SIS apiece,
provided they are delivered with limbs
and feelers intact.
A former student Of the University
OF Chicago, who is now on the en-
tomological star of the department
Of agriculture at Washington, few
days ago described his expedition into
the native haunts Of the amblychila,
which he explored long enough to
gather in considerable pin money by
the sale Of whole families.
When l learned the baroni had
been seen In an obscure part of Ari-
zona only about half a dozen bugs
were known to entomologists," said
the investigator "One Of these was
in the Leconte and Horn collection in
Philadelphia. Most of the others were
in the River collection in San Fran
cisco.
The first had been caught near
Globe, Ariz, A naturalist named
Schaeffer also located few southeast
of Nogales, Ariz was familiar with
the characteristic of the creatures
through my studies under Curator
Snow Of the University Of Kansas,
now deceased, and when he invited
me to join party into the noun
tains of Arizona to hunt the ambly-
chila l was glad to go as If there had
been buried treasure at the end Of
the journey.
We found conditions favorable at
Peach Springs, near Ashford, Ariz.
From there we went into the noun
tains. There were no amblychila to
be seen, but we acted on the general
supposition that they were in this
neighborhood. We spent several days
moving about in the mountains and
finally selected favorable spot for
the bug to appear.
Now, the amblychila baroni family
Is most exclusive and has never been
known to come forth In broad day
light Twilight and an hours before
dawn are supposed to be the times
when they appear. We tried several
twilights and several dawns without
result. One night a light rain fell
and we agreed that the dampness
might invite the bugs out, although
it made 1t decidedly uncomfortable
for US.
THAT night we scattered over the
hills and kept watch near crevices in
the rocks. lay with my head resting
on my elbow watching innumerable
insects and bugs crawl by in the
shady light. Finally saw the long,
black feelers of what might be one of
the amblychila appear, and then an
other, l waited until they got well
out Of the crevice, for they are de-
cidedly cautious creatures, then
scooped the two up In my hand. BY
their struggles l knew that / had the
right species. No bug struggles as
hard as the baroni. Then | stuck
them into a small par of cyanide of
potassium which l carried The fumes
killed them quickly.
81 sold a number of my amblychila
baroni for $25 cnd some for S15 and
$40 Our expedition multiplied the
number Of know specimens consider,
ably and the price went down a little.
l don't know how many specimens our
entire party captured, but Altogether
the expedition was a success from
monetary as well as an chronological
standpoint"