,transcriber ,notes ,text emphasis denoted by ,italics amd ,bold4 ,u4 ,s4 ,,department ,,of ,,agriculture ,,farmers' ,,bulletin ,no4 #acdf ,,carpet ,,beetles ,,and ,,their ,,control ,,carpet ,,beetles1 or so-called buffalo moths1 are common household pests usually associated in their destructive work with clothes moths4 ,ordinarily they are not so destructive as clothes moths1 because they reproduce only once a year1 and then not so abundantly4 ,experienced housewives throughout the ,north are familiar with the stout1 oval1 reddish-brown1 hairy grubs or larv of the common carpet beetle1 found beneath carpets or in clothing4 ,in southern homes1 however1 the longer1 slender1 golden-brown larva of the black carpet beetle1 with its tuft of golden bristles1 is more common4 ,all carpet-beetle larv feed upon fabrics or upon various articles1 including upholstered furniture1 containing wool1 silk1 hair1 fur1 bristles1 or feathers4 ,they even feed upon dried animal matter4 ,protection against carpet beetles can be secured in tight chests and trunks by the use of the crystals of naphthalene1 paradichlorobenzene1 or camphor1 or by the fumigants carbon disulphid and carbon tetrachloride ,where infestation is general throughout a house or is serious in closets1 it may be advisable to fumigate with hydrocyanic-acid gas1 carbon disulphid1 or sulphur1 but none of these fumigation methods should be employed except by a person well informed regarding them4 ,the foregoing remedies and others1 such as cold storage1 red-cedar chests1 heat1 and the treatment of infested floor cracks1 are discussed in this bulletin4 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c4 ,july1 #aibc ,,carpet ,,beetles ,,and ,,their ,,control4 ,by ,e4 ,a4 ,back1 ,entomologist in ,charge of ,stored-,product ,insect ,investigations1 ,bureau of ,entomology4 ,,contents4 ,page4 ,carpet beetles or buffalo moths #a ,the common carpet beetle #b ,the black carpet beetle #d ,the varied carpet beetle #f ,the furniture carpet beetle #g ,control measures #i ,naphthalene #aj ,page4 ,control measures--,continued4 ,paradichlorobenzene #aj ,camphor #aj ,red-cedar chests #aa ,cold storage #aa ,fumigation #aa ,miscellaneous control measures #ab ,,carpet ,,beetles ,,or ,,buffalo ,,moths4 ,,the so-called buffalo moths are not moths2 they are beetles and very distinct from the true clothes moths4 ,in this country there are six species1#a at least1 that attack museum materials and household fabrics1 but of these only four#b have proved serious household pests in ,america4 ,all species are capable of subsisting upon dried animal remains1 and thrive upon them perhaps as well as upon the fine fabrics of wool1 hair1 feathers1 fur1 and silk4 #a ,anthrenus scrophulariae ,l41 ,a4 museorum ,l41 ,a4 fasciatus ,hbst41 ,a4 lepidus ,le,c1 ,a4 verbasci ,l41 and ,attagenus piceus ,oliv4 #b ,anthrenus scrophulariae ,l41 ,a4 verbasci ,l41 ,a4 fasciatus ,hbst41 and ,attagenus piceus ,oliv4 ,carpet beetles pass through life cycles1 or generations1 consisting of egg1 larva or grub1 pupa1 and adult or beetle4 ,these stages differ greatly in appearance4 ,the beetles are broadly oval and about three-sixteenths to one-fourth of an inch long2 black1 but with this blackness often obscured by tiny red1 orange1 brown1 yellow1 or white scales which form color designs characteristic of the species4 ,these scales1 which are modified hairs1 are easily rubbed off1 revealing the black color of the body beneath4 ,the larv1 or grubs 7as the larv of beetles are often called7 are brownish or black and variously clothed with stiff hairs1 as shown in ,figures #a and #h1 or with a long tuft of hairs at the end of the body1 as shown in ,figure #e4 ,carpet beetles pass through not more than two generations annually1 and more often only one1 and there are records of certain individuals requiring much longer1 even three years1 to complete their growth4 ,the following accounts are given of the four most important species4 ,,the ,,common ,,carpet ,,beetle4#c #c ,anthrenus scrophulariae ,l4 ,the common carpet beetle was known as the carpet beetle in the years following its introduction into ,america when floors were more commonly than1 now covered entirely with carpets that were tacked down along the edges1 thus giving the larv an undisturbed shelter favorable to their development4 ,originally a pest in ,europe1 where it is still common1 it was introduced into this country about #ahgd1 probably at ,boston and ,new ,york simultaneously4 ,no stage of this common carpet beetle is longer than three-sixteenths to one-fourth of an inch4 ,the general proportions of larva1 pupa1 and adult are shown in ,figure #a4 ,the rich reddish brown larv are clothed with stiff dark brown hairs which are longer around the sides1 and still longer at the ends1 than upon the back4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #a4--,the common carpet beetle3 a1 ,larva1 dorsal view2 b1 pupa within larval skin2 c1 pupa1 ventral view2 d1 adult4 ,all enlarged 7,riley47 ,the larv feed upon carpets and woolens 7,fig4 #b71 furs1 feathers 7,fig4 #c71 bristles1 and silks4 ,they remain secluded in dark places1 hidden beneath carpets or in the folds of garments4 ,they eat irregular holes in fabrics1 but in carpets tacked to floors they are more likely to eat slits following cracks4 ,they never cause a webbing on the fabric4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #b4--,typical carpet beetle damage to woolen cloth4 ,for injury to feathers see ,fig4 #c4 ,while most conspicuous in the ,northern ,states1 this carpet beetle is frequently found in the latitude of ,washington1 ,d4 ,c1 and southward ,specimens have1 recently been sent from ,texas and ,florida4 ,in a ,washington storehouse the contents of a trunk closed for several years were found badly damaged by the larv4 ,the following account#d is just as applicable to-day as when written many years ago4 #d ,howard1 ,l4 #j41 in ,bulletin #d1 new series1 ,division of ,entomology1 ,united ,states ,department of ,agriculture1 pp4 #eh-ei4 #ahif4 ,the adult insect is a small1 broad-oval beetle1 about three-sixteenths of an inch long1 black in color1 but is covered with exceedingly minute scales1 which give it a marbled black-and-white appearance4 ,it also has a red stripe down the middle of the back1 widening into projections at three intervals4 ,when disturbed it plays 'possum1 folding up its legs and antenn and feigning death ,as a general thing the beetles begin to appear in the fall1 and continue to issue1 in heated houses1 throughout the winter and following spring4 ,soon after issuing they pair1 and the females lay their eggs in convenient spots4 ,the eggs hatch1 under favorable conditions1 in a few days1 and the larv1 with plenty of food1 develop quite rapidly4 ,their development is retarded by cold weather or lack of food1 and they remain alive in the larval state1 in such conditions and particularly in a dry atmosphere1 for an almost indefinite period molting frequently and feeding upon their cast skins4 ,under normal conditions1 however the skin is cast about six times1 and there are1 probably1 in the ,north1 not more than two annual generations4 ,when the larva reaches full growth the yellowish pupa is formed within the last larval skin4 ,eventually this skin splits down the back and reveals the pupa1 from which the beetle emerges later4 ,the beetles are day fliers1 and when not engaged in egg laying are attracted to the light4 ,they fly to the windows1 and may often be found upon the sills or panes4 ,where they can fly out through an open window they do so1 and are strongly attracted to the flowers of certain plants1 particularly the family ,scrophulariace but also to certain ,composite1 such as milfoil 7,achillea millefolium74 ,the flowers of ,spira are also strongly attractive to the beetles4 ,it is probable1 however1 that this migration from the house takes place1 under ordinary circumstances after the eggs have been laid4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #c4--;,feathers damaged by fabric pests4 ,injury has been done here by clothes moths and carpet beetles4 ,they reduce feathers to a mat-like mass4 ,in ,europe the insect is not especially noted as a household pest1 probably owing to the fact that carpets are seldom tacked down4 ,in fact1 the writer believes that only where carpets are extensively used in this way are the conditions favorable for the great increase of this insect4 ,carpets once tacked down are seldom taken up for a year1 and in the meantime the insect develops uninterruptedly4 ,with the more general use of polished floors1 and rugs which are often taken up and beaten1 there is little doubt that the buffalo bug will eventually cease to be a household insect of importance4 ,the insect is known in ,europe as infesting museums1 but has not acquired this habit to any great extent in this country4 ,it is known to have this habit in ,cambridge1 ,mass41 and ,detroit1 ,mich41 as well as in ,san ,francisco1 ,calif41 but not in other localities4 ,in each of these three cases it was imported from ,europe in insect collections4 ,,the ,,black ,,carpet ,,beetle4#e #e ,attagenus piceus ,oliv4 ,the black carpet beetle derives its common name from the black1 unadorned color of the adult4 ,its larva is reddish or golden brown1 long and slender1 with a characteristic tuft of long hairs at the end of its body4 ,it curls up and plays 'possum when disturbed4 ,a glance at ,figure #e will be sufficient for the identification of this unique carpet-beetle larva4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #d4--;,black carpet beetle3 ,dorsal view of adult beetle4 ,greatly enlarged4 ,widespread in ,europe and ,asia1 it first attracted attention in ,america in #ahed4 ,since then it has become widely distributed throughout the ,united ,states1 often being the most injurious of the carpet beetles1 especially in the more southern ,states4 ,it is the carpet beetle most commonly referred by housewives to the department for identification4 ,it feeds upon household fabrics of wool1 feathers1 fur1 hair1 and silk1 and also upon cereals and cereal products1 seeds1 and dried animal remains1 hence has many opportunities for existence in warehouses and barns as well as in houses4 ,the adult4--,the adult of the black carpet beetle is small1 oval1 and black1 as shown in ,figure #d4 ,the adults are present in abundance only during the early summer4 ,in a steam-heated building at ,washington1 ,d4 ,c1 large numbers of adults were present late in ,april and during ,may1 but became rather scarce during the first part of ,june1 although single adults were found as late as early in ,july4 ,the adult flies readily and is often seen crawling on window panes and screens4 ,it is during the adult stage that the black carpet beetle spreads most easily from house to house4 ,the female beetle lays small1 white1 fragile eggs upon fabrics1 in floor cracks1 or in any sheltered spot near its food4 ,the length of life of the parent insect ranges from #c to #ce days during ,april1 ,may1 and ,june4 ,seldom are adults found later than ,july1 except in very warm storage houses4 ,the egg4--,the fragile white eggs are very seldom seen1 and hatch in warm weather in about #f to #aj days4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #e4--;,black carpet beetle3 ,larval skin showing the typical shape of the larva and the long tuft of bristles at the end of the body4 ,greatly enlarged4 ,the larva4--,the golden brown larva1 with short1 stiff body hairs1 and its long tuft of hairs at the end of the body 7,fig4 #e71 attains a length of one-fourth of an inch1 exclusive of the tuft of hair at the end of the body4 ,when first hatched it is almost microscopic in size1 but increases rapidly under favorable food and climatic conditions4 ,as it grows it sheds its skin from five to eleven times1 and possibly oftener4 ,this is of interest1 for frequently the cast skins are mistaken for the insect itself1 thus unnecessarily alarming the housewife concerning the abundance of this carpet beetle4 ,it required approximately one year for larv to become fully grown when fed upon casein4 ,larv hatching during early ,june and fed upon casein became full grown and transformed to the adult stage during the following ,april1 ,may1 and ,june4 ,larv fed upon woolen cloth and silk and flour and meal were still only partially grown at the end of one year1 indicating that the black carpet beetle may require two years for its development4 ,in ,india it has been found that certain of these larv may require from one to three years for growth4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #f4--;,black carpet beetle3 ,ventral view of pupa4 ,greatly enlarged4 ,the pupa4--,in the pupa stage the insect is white1 clothed with fine white hairs 7,fig4 #f71 and helpless4 ,the pupa stage continues from #f to #af days during early summer at ,washington1 ,d4 ,c1 and is seldom found at any other season of the year4 ,seasonal history4--,since the greater part of the life cycle is passed in the larva stage1 the facts previously mentioned indicate that the black carpet beetle may have only one generation each year1 although it may require two or three years for the same development4 ,from the observation of the writer1 made in houses1 warehouses1 and in the laboratory at ,washington1 there seems little doubt that a very large percentage of the insects have one generation each year4 ,farther north1 or under less favorable climatic and food conditions1 a generation may require two or even three years4 ,at any rate1 the adults are on the wing during early summer and the eggs for new infestations are laid then4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #g4--,the varied carpet beetle3 ,dorsal view4 ,greatly enlarged4 ,,the ,,varied ,,carpet ,,beetle4#f #f ,anthrenus verbasci ,l4 ,the varied carpet beetle is similar in shape to the common carpet beetle1#g but is a trifle smaller4 ,it is called the varied carpet beetle because the color pattern on the back of the beetle varies considerably with the arrangement of the white1 brownish1 and yellowish scales4 ,figure #g presents a common arrangement of the scales4 ,the underside of the body is thickly clothed with white scales4 ,this insect is a ,european pest now well established in widely separated parts of the ,united ,states4 ,it has been found more often perhaps feeding upon seeds in museums than upon clothing1 though its larv do attack woolen goods1 feathers1 hair1 and silks4 #g ,anthrenus scrophulariae ,l4 ,the larv are not unlike other carpet beetle larv of the genus ,anthrenus4 ,in ,figures #h and #i are shown the newly hatched and the mature larv4 ,when unmutilated1 they posses on each side at the end of the body three dense tufts of bristles and hairs4 ,if suddenly alarmed1 the larv erect these tufts and spread the bristles and hairs out so as to form beautiful round balls4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #h4--,varied carpet beetle3 ,dorsal view of newly hatched larva4 ,greatly enlarged4 ,during late spring and early summer1 when the insect transforms to the adult stage in greatest numbers1 the adults are driven by instinct to seek the bright sunshine and the pollen of certain flowers4 ,in this respect they are not unlike other species of carpet beetles1 the adults of which may be found also upon flowers4 ,some think that ,viburnum or ,spiraea bushes planted near the house will lure carpet beetles from the house4 ,it is probably true1 however1 that the beetles1 before leaving the house1 lay a large percentage of their eggs1 so that the attraction the sun and flowers have for them is of so little practical value to the householder that it is not worth while to depend upon flowers to lure the adults from the house4 ,the varied carpet beetle in the adult stage flies about in tremendous numbers4 ,during ,may1 #aibb1 the writer could capture them by the thousands upon at least #cj species of flowers found in public gardens in ,washington1 ,d4 ,c4 ,single white roses often attracted more than #ajj beetles1 while a single stalk of a common herbaceous ,spiraea harbored more than #a1jjj specimens4 ,the beetles often fly in large numbers rather high above the ground4 ,a gentleman#h after painting a portion of the tin roof of his house during early ,may returned #bd hours later to complete the painting1 only to find that during the interim an average of two varied carpet beetles to the square inch had become entangled in the fresh paint4 ,the writer observed two adults fly into his city apartment in ,washington through an open window during early ,march1 #aibb4 ,these flights of adults are of extreme importance to the householder1 because they emphasize how readily carpet beetles may spread from house to house during spring and early summer4 ,window screens will exclude all except the smallest specimens if they fit tightly1 but the average removable screen does not fit tightly enough to prevent adult carpet beetles from crawling into the house between screen and window frame4 #h ,h4 ,s4 ,barber4 ,,the ,,furniture ,,carpet ,,beetle4#i #i ,anthrenus fasciatus ,herbst4 ,the carpet beetle or dermestid#aj here discussed has had no common name1 but may be called the furniture carpet beetle 7,fig4 #aj74 ,it1 too1 is a ,european pest introduced into this country4 ,it has been reported from ,algeria1 ,spain1 ,greece1 southern ,russia ,mesopotamia1 and the ,east ,indies ,it was first recognized in ,america during #aiaa1 from specimens sent the ,american ,museum of ,natural ,history1 ,new ,york ,city1 from an upholsterer in ,augusta1 ,ga4 ,the specimen were taken from the curled hair of furniture upholstered #ab to #ae years previous to #aiaa4 ,investigation indicated that the hair used in this furniture came from ,russia4 ,the pest was not again noted in ,america until ,april1 #aiae1 when it was found seriously damaging an upholstered chair in the ,white ,house4 ,since then1 particularly during the last several years1 many pieces of furniture and mattresses in different sections have been reported badly damaged4 #aj ,so called because1 like the other carpet beetles1 it belongs to the family ,dermestidae4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #i4--,the varied carpet beetle3 ,dorsal view of well-grown larva4 ,greatly enlarged4 ,in all instances the furniture was upholstered with curled hair and moss1 and in some cases the hair had been completely devoured by the larv1 in association with smaller numbers of the common carpet beetle1 the black carpet beetle1 and the webbing clothes moth4 7,figs4 #aa and #ab47 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #aj4--,the furniture carpet beetle3 a1 ,well-grown larva2 b1 larval skin2 c1 pupa within larval skin2 d1 two beetles4 ,this beetle is now well established in this country and is a most serious furniture pest4 ,the adults eat holes through heavy leather and linen coverings1 while the larv reduce the hair used in the upholstering to a mass of cast larval skins and ground-up hair4 ,the hair then has the appearance of black gritty dirt which can be scraped up by the handful1 if not by the pailful4 ,when the larv become abundant in a piece of furniture they may drop to the floor and there feed upon rugs and other fabrics made of wool1 hair1 fur1 or feathers4 ,the larva2 or grubs are seldom seen unless searched for1 but the adults1 because of their habit of flight during ,march to ,june 7in ,washington71 leave the furniture and crawl about the furnishings and windows1 and while hardly one-fourth of an inch long1 are made conspicuous by the brown1 white1 and yellow scales that cover their bodies4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #aa4--,upholstered furniture sometimes harbors thousands of clothes moths and carpet beetles without showing evidence of their feeding until they have become very abundant4 ,from this couch thousands of adult carpet beetles were found emerging1 and spreading about the house4 ,only reupholstering or fumigation will rid such a piece of furniture of pests4 ,for a general impression of the appearance of the furniture carpet beetle see ,figure #aj4 ,the adult may live several weeks4 ,the female has been known to lay as many as #cf eggs in one day4 ,fortunately this species does not seem to be very prolific1 since no adult has been known to lay more than #he eggs4 ,the eggs are small1 white1 easily crushed by brushing1 and are laid in the nap of clothing4 ,in furniture coverings of mohair1 plush1 and similar materials the eggs are tucked down in the pile1 as shown in ,figure #ac4 ,the eggs hatch during warm summer weather in from #ab to #ae days4 ,the larv require the rest of the year for growth and do not transform to the adult until the following spring4 ,the larv1 however1 do not all grow equally well1 and some specimens may require only one year for development1 while others may remain for considerable periods somewhat dormant1 even in the presence of much food1 and will not transform to the adult until much later1 sometimes as long as one year after others1 hatching on the same day1 have matured4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #ab4--,leather covering at end of couch shown in ,figure #aa1 loosened to expose the work of the furniture carpet beetle4 ,note that this pest1 working with fewer numbers of clothes moths and black carpet beetles1 has eaten nearly all the curled hair stuffing1 leaving behind the moss used with the hair1 countless larval skins1 and handfuls of a fine1 gritty1 dirtlike substance which is nothing more nor less than the frass of the insect4 ,thousands of carpet beetles can mature in such furniture without the knowledge of the casual observer4 ,it is only when the stuffing is eaten away and the pests leave the furniture and crawl about the house that suspicion is centered upon furniture as the possible source of an unending supply of clothes moths and carpet beetles that appear here and there about the house4 ,,control ,,measures4 ,the measures to be used for the control of carpet beetles depend upon the place in the house where the pest is causing injury4 ,if carpet beetles are troublesome in trunks1 chests1 or closets that are not opened often1 a good grade of flake naphthalene1 paradichlorobenzene or camphor will give good results4 ,if the trouble is in closets in daily use1 beneath carpets or rugs1 or in piano felts or upholstered furniture1 these substances are of practically no value1 and one must fumigate the house as a whole or in part with either hydrocyanic-acid gas1 carbon disulphid1 or carbon tetrachlorid1 or use the still older1 more tedious1 and less effective means of control consisting in frequent search for and the killing of the individual larv and adults1 and the treatment of floor cracks and similar hiding places with kerosene1 gasoline1 or benzine4 ,the following materials and methods may be employed with satisfactory results3 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #ac4--;,eggs of the furniture carpet beetle laid in the pile of a plush mohair covering of a chair4 ,considerably enlarged3 the eggs are smaller than the head of a common pin and white ,in color4 ,,naphthalene4 ,naphthalene in the form of flakes 7preferably7 or moth balls is effective when used at the rate of one-half to #a pound to each #aj to #ac cubic feet of space4 ,it is always better to use a larger rather than a smaller quantity of these crystals ,great care should be exercised to keep tightly closed the trunks or chests of clothing with which the naphthalene is stored4 ,naphthalene in chests opened frequently or those carelessly left open for hours at a time1 or in chests with large cracks or warped covers1 is not to be depended upon4 ,naphthalene should be of good grade4 ,it is best to purchase it put up in unbroken tin cans of #a pound or more capacity4 ,remember that naphthalene kills all stages of the carpet beetles by means of the fumes given off during the slow evaporation of its crystals and it is essential that these fumes be closely confined4 ,naphthalene in bureau drawers1 in closets frequently used1 scattered upon closet shelves1 or beneath carpets is not to be depended upon for absolute protection4 ,,paradichlorobenzene4 ,paradichlorobenzene crystals are similar in general appearance to those of naphthalene4 ,the fumes given off by the slow evaporation of the crystals in a tightly closed container will kill all stages of the carpet beetle1 if about #a pound of crystals is used for each #aj cubic feet of space4 ,,camphor4 ,camphor is not as quickly effective against all stages of carpet beetles as are naphthalene and paradichlorobenzene4 ,its action is slower4 ,use from one-half to #a pound for each trunk of about #aj cubic feet capacity4 ,,red-,,cedar ,,chests4 ,chests made of red cedar1 popularly known as ,virginia#aa or ,tennessee red cedar1 if well constructed1 will kill the very young larv of carpet beetles4 ,they will not kill the beetles1 the older larv1 or the pupae1 nor will they prevent the eggs from hatching4 ,the writer has known larv of the black carpet beetle#ab to remain apparently unaffected in a red-cedar chest from ,june of one year to ,may of the following year1 and then to transform normally to the adult stage4 ,the older larv of carpet beetles can be removed from clothing before it is stored in chests by thorough brushing4 ,it is valuable to know that red-cedar chests will kill the very young larv4 ,it should always be remembered that articles such as balls of yarn1 floor skins backed with woolen cloth1 pillows stuffed with hair or feathers1 and similar objects in the interior of which the older carpet-beetle larv can hide should not be placed in cedar chests until fumigated to kill the larv hidden where they can not be reached by brushing4 #aa ,juniperus virginiana4 #ab ,attagenus piceus4 ,,cold ,,storage4 ,one of the safest methods of preventing loss through carpet-beetle attack is to store susceptible articles with a reliable cold-storage firm maintaining rooms for such purposes at a temperature of #ej ,f4 or lower4 ,,fumigation4 ,carpet beetles1 as well as all other household pests1 can be eliminated as disturbing factors by fumigation within as short a time as three or four hours 7if necessary74 ,fumigation with formaldehyde candles1 although excellent for killing disease germs1 is worthless for insect control1 and the public is warned accordingly4 ,sulphur fumes will kill many carpet beetles1 but very few persons succeed in killing all carpet beetles with sulphur fumes4 ,sulphur should be burned at the rate of #ac ounces per #a1jjj cubic feet of space4 ,it is likely to bleach wall paper and fine fabrics and tarnish metals1 and should never be used unless one is aware of these possible bad results4 ,hydrocyanic-acid gas4--,hydrocyanic-acid gas is the best gas known and in present use for the fumigation of houses1 or parts of houses1 for the speedy elimination of carpet beetles or other pests4 ,when persons are troubled with fabric pests that have become generally established throughout the house1 nothing will give greater satisfaction in peace of mind and freedom from trouble than one thorough fumigation carried on by a professional fumigator or by any intelligent1 careful person capable of following directions4 ,hydrocyanic-acid gas is dangerous to human beings1 but is noninflammable and nonexplosive as used in household fumigation as here advocated4 ,it is lighter than air1 will injure no fabric or painting1 and will not tarnish household metals4 ,if properly used1 it is one of the simplest and best methods of fighting house pests4 ,interested persons can have full particulars free of cost by writing the ,division of ,publications1 ,department of ,agriculture1 for ,farmers' ,bulletin #fii4 ,carbon disulphid4--,carbon disulphid is a fumigant in general use for killing insects of all sorts in containers that are reasonably tight4 ,it is excellent for killing carpet beetles in chests1 trunks1 and closets that can be closed and sealed4 ,it has been used for the fumigation of entire buildings when these are detached4 ,it is purchased at drug stores or of chemical firms as a liquid put up in tin cans containing #a1 #b1 #e1 or #aj pounds each4 ,upon exposure to the air1 the liquid evaporates1 forming a gas heavier than air which sinks through the container being fumigated and kills the insects by suffocation4 ,the gas is explosive in the presence of fire1 and must be handled with the same care as gasoline or benzine4 ,although the liquid as purchased is considered not explosive or inflammable1 great care should be exercised in storing and handling it since it is almost impossible to dissociate it from its gas1 which is1 as stated above1 decidedly explosive and inflammable in the presence of fire4 ,the odor of carbon disulphid gas is very disagreeable1 but soon disappears with the airing of the container after fumigation4 ,carbon disulphid fumigation is excellent for the destruction of carpet beetles in articles that can be stored in trunks1 chests1 or closets1 or for killing pests in pianos and upholstered furniture that can be placed in a small room for the period of fumigation4 ,full particulars regarding this fumigant and the ease with which it can be used may be had by writing the ,division of ,publications1 ,department of ,agriculture1 for ,farmers' ,bulletin #gii4 ,carbon tetrachlorid4--,carbon tetrachlorid is used in exactly the same way and for the same purpose as carbon disulphid1 except that from two to three times as much of the liquid must be used to fumigate the same amount of space4 ,carbon tetrachlorid is not a particularly effective fumigant1 but it has the advantage of producing1 upon evaporation1 a gas that is noninflammable and nonexplosive1 and for this reason can be used in certain places where lighted lamps1 fires1 etc41 can not be entirely eliminated4 ,see ,farmers' ,bulletin #gii for reference to use of carbon tetrachlorid and carbon disulphid4 ,,miscellaneous ,,control ,,measures4 ,laundering and dry cleaning4--,when material infested with carpet beetles is submerged in a solution of #a pound of neutral soap to #aj gallons of water all stages of the beetles are killed4 ,carpet-beetle larv are killed if subjected to temperatures of #abj1 #abe1 and #abh ,f4 for #cj1 #ae1 and #aj minutes1 respectively4 ,eggs are killed when subjected to temperatures of #abe and #acj ,f4 for #af and #aa minutes1 respectively ,eggs and larv were killed in material dipped for #e second in water at #adj ,f41 but submergence for the same period in water at a temperature of #abb ,f4 failed to kill all of them4 ,translated into household terms this means that laundering clothing or other textiles in thick suds or with water hotter than the hand can bear1 or pressing with a hot iron1 will probably kill the larv and eggs of the carpet beetle4 ,the usual commercial dry-cleaning processes also are probably effective4 ,unfortunately these methods are not always easily applied to the articles most likely to be infested2 they must not be considered a preventive against reinfestation4 ,treatment of floor cracks and other hiding places4--,carpet-beetle larv often secrete themselves in the cracks of flooring1 beneath base boards1 and in other openings about houses formed by the usual shrinking or settling of woodwork4 ,the larv feed upon the lint which gathers in such places4 ,it is1 therefore1 an excellent procedure to have all such openings closed where possible by filling in with putty or patented crack-fillers4 ,any cracks that can not be filled in this manner should be periodically filled with gasoline1 kerosene1 or benzine to kill larv4 ,since these liquids are inflammable1 care must be exercised not to have lighted lamps or fire in any form about until after the rooms are well ventilated4 ,,organization ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,,department ,,of ,,agriculture4 ,secretary of ,agriculture ,henry ,c4 ,wallace4 ,assistant ,secretary ,c4 ,w4 ,pugsley4 ,director of ,scientific ,work ,e4 ,d4 ,ball4 ,director of ,regulatory ,work ,weather ,bureau ,charles ,f4 ,marvin1 ,chief4 ,bureau of ,agricultural ,economics ,henry ,c4 ,taylor1 ,chief4 ,bureau of ,animal ,industry ,john ,r4 ,mohler1 ,chief4 ,bureau of ,plant ,industry ,william ,a4 ,taylor1 ,chief4 ,forest ,service ,w4 ,b4 ,greeley1 ,chief4 ,bureau of ,chemistry ,walter ,g4 ,campbell1 ,acting ,chief4 ,bureau of ,soils ,milton ,whitney1 ,chief4 ,bureau of ,entomology ,l4 ,o4 ,howard1 ,chief4 ,bureau of ,biological ,survey ,e4 ,w4 ,nelson1 ,chief4 ,bureau of ,public ,roads ,thomas ,h4 ,mac,donald1 ,chief4 ,fixed ,nitrogen ,research ,laboratory ,f4 ,g4 ,cottrell1 ,director4 ,division of ,accounts and ,disbursements ,a4 ,zappone1 ,chief4 ,division of ,publications ,edwin ,c4 ,powell1 ,acting ,chief4 ,library ,claribel ,r4 ,barnett1 ,librarian4 ,states ,relations ,service ,a4 ,c4 ,true1 ,director4 ,federal ,horticultural ,board ,c4 ,l4 ,marlatt1 ,chairman4 ,insecticide and ,fungicide ,board ,j4 ,k4 ,haywood1 ,chairman4 ,packers and ,stockyards ,administration ,chester ,morrill1 ,assistant ,grain ,future ,trading ,act ,administration to the ,secretary4 ,office of the ,solicitor ,r4 ,w4 ,williams1 ,solicitor4 ,this bulletin is a contribution from ,bureau of ,entomology ,l4 ,o4 ,howard1 ,chief4 ,stored-,product ,insect ,investigations ,e4 ,a4 ,back1 ,entomologist in ,charge4 ,,additional ,,copies ,,of ,,this ,,publication ,,hay ,,be ,,procured ,,from ,,the ,,superintendent ,,of ,,documents ,,government ,,printing ,,office ,,washington1 ,d4 ,c4 ,,at #e ,,cents ,,per ,,copy ,,purchaser ,,agrees ,,not ,,to ,,resell ,,or ,,distribute ,,this ,,copy ,,for ,,profit4--,,pub4 ,,res4 #eg1 ,,approved ,,may #aa1 #aibb ,illustration3 ,upside-down triangle ,,washington3 ,,government ,,printing ,,office3 #aibc 99 99 99 99 99 ,transcriber ,notes ,all illustrations were moved so as to not split paragraphs4