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Reduvius and its allies belong to a large family of very useful insects, as they prey largely on caterpillars and noxious insects. It is an ally of Reduvius personates, a valued friend to man, as in Europe it destroys the bed-bug. Its specific name is derived from its habit while immature, of concealing itself in a case of dust, the better to approach its prey. Mr.
Westring, on the stridulation of males of Theridion; on the stridulation of Reduvius personatus; on the stridulation of beetles; on the stridulation of Omaloplia brunnea; on the stridulating organs of the Coleoptera; on sounds produced by Cychrus. Westropp, H.M., on reason in a bear; on the prevalence of certain forms of ornamentation.
Hoffmann informs me that he could hardly distinguish a small pink and green species from the buds on the trunks of lime-trees, which this insect frequents. According to Westring, Reduvius personatus also stridulates.
Testimony is not lacking that it sometimes punctures the human epidermis with a view to obtaining blood at first hand instead of from its natural prey. But the curious feature of the kissing-bug's bite is its after effect. Neither the southern Reduvius nor the northern Melanolestes possesses any venom apparatus. Yet we find such authorities as Dr.
The miscreant was a fine specimen of Reduvius personatus, the cone-nosed blood-sucker, soon thereafter to achieve heights of newspaper notoriety together with its cousin, Melanolestes picipes, as the "kissing-bug."
They are white, transparent, differing from the perfect insect in having a broad, triangular head, and short, thick antennæ. Some Cimices are parasites, infesting pigeons, swallows, etc., in this way also showing their near relation to lice. Besides the Reduvius, the cockroach is the natural enemy of the bed-bug, and destroys large numbers.
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