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PREPARE FOR SUMMER.
HOUSEHOLD INSECT PESTS.
(By C. French, jun., Assistant Entomo
logist.)
COCKROACHES.
Cockroaches are usually found
crevices near fireplaces, 'l'hey are om
nivorous, tlie.r luuil consisting of any
dead animal matter, cereal products and
other k nds of food. -It is also stated
that they will eat woollens and leather,
frequently causing extensive damage to
books.
The eggs, instead of being deposited
separately us with other insects, are
brought together in the abdomen of
the female into a hard horny pod or
capsule, winch often nearly fills the
body of the parent. The number of
eggs in the capsule varies in tile diffe
rent species. They are arranged in two
roivs, the pos.tion of the eggs being
indicated 011 the exterior of the capsule
by transverse lateral impressions. The
capsule is oval, elongate, or somewhat
bean-shaped; and the young when
hatched pass through a number of
moults. It is stated by some entomolog
ists that it takes four or five years for
a cockroach to reach full growth, but
this is not yet confirmed. The general
opinion is that one generation per year
is produced.
Remedies.—Powdered borax sprinkled
into crevices is an old-fashioned but re
liable remedy. Mr. Tepper, Entomolog
ist of the Adelaide Museum, recommends
a rather novel method. He places
saucer containing one pint of plaster of
Paris to four of flour, well mixed, and
close to it, another saucer full of water,
wjth a few sticks resting against them,
so that they can easily get to the food
and water. Tiie cockroaches become
thirsty after flour and plaster diet and
then drink the water, with fatal results.
Pyrethrum powder (insecticide) blown
into the crevices soon rids a house of
these pests. Fumigation by hydrocyanic
acid gas is absolutely the most effective
remedy, but owing to its dangerous
nature, it should only be used by ex
perienced persons. Bisulphide of carbon
has also been tried with success, but this
also requires the utmost care in hand
ling. as it is highly inflammable. Phos
phorous paste lias been found of value.
It must, however, be used with great
care: it should be placed in position the
last thing at night, and the remains re
moved in the morning before the chil
dren are about.
ANTS.
Several species of ants are found about
houses, the small Black Ant, the Sugar
Ant and the small Red Ant being the
most troublesome. The first named often
make their nests in the walls, and are
sometimes difficult to find; but when
once located it is an easy matter to
destroy them. Syringe the nest with
strong benzine, kerosene, boiling water,
carbolic acid, or bisulphide of carbon.
The last named is one of the best reme
dies, but, as stated before, care must be
taken when using it. Sprinkling insec
ticide about the crevices by which they
enter is also a good method of extermi- j
nating them. If the joists or beams.
are badly infested with white ants, it is.
far better to have them taken out care-1
fully and now ones put in. But tho lat
ter before being put in should be treat-1
ed with corrosive sublimate dissolved in '
alcohol or even water. Carbolic acid
may also be used for this purpose. The
old*ones' should he at once destroyed by
burning. Another useful remedy is
Quibell's mixture (in proportions of one
to .thirty parts of water) in which the
timber should be dipped before using.
Painting the wood with tar is also a
preventive. "Preservative Oil" is highly
recommended by Mr. Froggart, Govern
ment Entomologist of New South Wales.
Ho states that floor joists after they are
laid .should be thoroughly dressed with
tho oil, to which has been added one
pound of arsenic to one gallon of oil.
Various patent preparations for the de
struction of the white ant are on the
market, and several have been found
useful.
FLEAS. I
Pleas are usually found in houses
where cats and dogs are .kept, and it is
often by these means that they are dis
tributed. The eggs are deposited among
the hair of these animals, and they drop
on the floors when the animals move
about. From the eggs are hatched the
larvae, which penotrate any crevices in
the floor and live there until fully
grown, feeding upon organic matter
usually to be found in cracks. The lar
vae develop very rapidly. On becoming
fully grown, the larvae spins a delicate,
white, silken cocoon, and turns into the
pupa, and thence into the perfect insect
a few days later. Professor Howard
states that a whole generation may de
velop in the course of a fortnight, in
warm, damp weather; but a great in
crease in the moisture of the weather
results in the destruction of vast num
bers of the larvae. Before a vacant
house is locked up the floors should bo
well swept, as the eggs are destroyed
thereby.
Remedies.—Persons who keep cats
and dogs should provide rugs or sacks
for them to lie on. These should be
brushed or well shaken daily, and the
dust containing the eggs thrown into a
fire. The animals should be continually
washed with phenyle, or some other re
Iable preparation should be rubbed into
their hair. Pyrethrum powder rubbed
or sprinkled amongst the hair will cause
the fleas to drap#!""!*,.
-Avoid cocpifnriyj^tttim^^r other such
material fo/fio£r«7^fiif!ii^^xiung larvae
penetrate fnK>j tlfpicrevlcMy-'iud if not
disturbed iwll^oiVbeeome adulpdnsects.
Washing ba*Vf'floors .with- hofe'fsjakvsuds.
spraying witfa/bRjtzin'&, &rid diis£ijig in
secticide on ArtfStsvare effectual ^reme
dies. There ar^severfCl-spe.Qies'" 06 house
fleas in AustraliaEtfafrQifc flnd^Dfig Flea
fCtenocenhalus canisP^Mld^J&r common
House Flea (Pu'ex irritans) being the
most common kinds. These insects are
introduced species.
FURNITURE BEETLES.
Should timber or furniture be attack
ed by any species of furniture beetles,
no time should be lost in taking mea
sures to suppress the pest. If furniture
is attacked it is advisable to treat it
with strong benzine, by pouring it over
tue small boles made in the furniture by
the larvae of these beetles; if this is re
peated at intervals it penetrates into
the wood and destroys the grubs. Cor
rosive sublimate (a poison which requires
..careful handling), carbolic acid, pre
servative oil and other remedies recom
mended for treating White Ants will
also be found effective.
SILVER, FISH.
This insect is known as Silver Louse.
It measures about one-third of an inch
in length and is of a silvery color, re
sembling a minute fish. It has two pro
minent- '-orns nr antennae, and at the j
end of the body are three long bristle- '
6liaped appendages. The whole surface
of the body is covered with small scales, j
like those on the wings of moths. It is }
an exceedingly active insect, and is of a
slippery nature; it is soft, and it is al- .
most impossible to capture a specimen I
without crushing it. |
Remedies.—Fortunately these insects '
are eas ly got rid of. Advantage may be
taken of their liking for fihrics and
other articV contoning starch to poison
them. Slip bits of ej^dhoard. on which
a thick boiled ster-li paste liberally
poisoned wit'i ar enir bus heeo spread
and dried, into all crcv'c s w' ere they
occur. But this plan is not to he re_
commended in places to w!t c'i ehldren
have access. Various insecticides (Pvre
thrum powders) sprir.'c'ed wlioro those
insects most freouerit, form a most re
liable remedy. Powdered borax or ben
zine is also of use. The former should
be sprinkled in their haunts, and the
latter syringed into any crevices.
VINEGAR OR FERMENT I LIES.
These are pests which can, with a little
care, bo kept out of pantries and store
rooms, where they are sometimes found
in countless nuxiilltsi'ii^lUtalking jams,
pickles, over-rffi'iriLtj.fci/yer>>lc. The
female, which/i* ^.yerj^-vijgiffv light
brownish fly, lheMuphig.abouKanfi^utii
of an inch lon)tv.deposits."her ogj^
on the receptakfes\Sholding .'-any
above named arlmrejNJVhefi " "
are hatched and 1
they leave the
the sides and ti
first flies generally issue about
later.
Remedies.—All receptacles for jam,
etc., should be hermetically sealed.
Over-ripe and decaying fruit should not
bo allowed to remain in pantries or store
rooms. A little Pyretbrum powder dust
ed about where the flies are will soon
destroy tliera.
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