(Latin: Pediculus humanus var. capitis) The head louse attaches its eggs firmly to hairs close to the scalp. The eggs are extremely tenacious and can only be removed from the hair by using a fine comb and much effort. Even frequent washing of the hair may not be sufficient to remove them. The empty eggshells […]
Body louse
( Latin: Pediculus humanus var. corporis ) Found only on the body and in clothing, the body louse lays its eggs in the seams and in similar sheltered places. It is somewhat hardier than the head louse and at 23° C it can live for 4 days without access to blood. The best conditions for […]
Sucking lice
( Latin: Anoplura ) The members of this small insect group show many adaptations for their specialised parasitic life. They are wingless, have much reduced eyes and their mouth parts are made for biting and sucking. The skin of a louse is leathery and greyish, and the abdomen becomes much distended when full of blood. Each […]
Springtails
(Latin: Collembola) Like thrips the springtails can also jump. They do not bite humans but may cause irritation if there are large numbers crawling around on the skin.
Thrips
(Latin: Thysanoptera) On warm summer days the tiny insects known as thrips may occur in enormous numbers and even enter houses. They have a tendency to creep in under clothing, or into ears, mouths and eyes, and they tickle as they move around on the skin. Thrips feed by sucking plant juices, but occasionally they […]
Brown dog tick
(Latin: Rhipicephalus sanguineus) This tick originates from Africa but is now widely distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical areas of the world. In Europe it is common in the Mediterranean countries. It occurs mainly on dogs and rarely on man. Like the previous species it has to have three separate blood meals before it becomes […]
Red poultry mite
(Latin:Dermanyssus gallinae) When filled with blood this mite has a beautiful red colour. Gradually as the blood is digested the mite becomes a little smaller and the colour changes to grey or blackish, and if it has fasted for a long period it is almost white. The poultry mite lives in henhouses, in dovecotes and […]
Prune mite
(Latin: Carpoglyphus lactis) Many of the mites occurring in foods can cause eczema in the people likely to come in contact with them. This mite, which thrives particularly in dried fruit, can cause the condition known as ‘grocer’s itch’ in people who work with mite-ridden goods in stores and warehouses.
Bed mites
(Latin: Dermatophagoides) These mites feed on the scales which are continually falling from our skin. They prefer a high humidity (80%) and temperature (25° C), and so are particularly common in beds. Surprisingly enough it is only quite recently that the presence of these mites has been observed. The discovery was made during an investigation […]
Itch mite
(Latin: Sarcoptes scabiei) This mite lives actually in the skin, burrowing tunnels in the upper layer, rather like a mole. It is only 1/3 mm long and is rarely seen, but its presence is revealed by the inflamed and eczema-like condition it causes (see p. 52). The eggs are laid in the burrows made by […]
Mites and ticks
( Latin: Acari ) In Europe it is only the itch mite which can be regarded as an important parasite of man, but other mites may occasionally cause trouble. Some can suck blood, while others are responsible for hypersensitive reactions.
House centipede
(Latin: Scutigera coleoptrata) This centipede comes from the Mediterranean countries where it is often found indoors. It has been recorded a few times in northern Europe. Like other centipedes this is a predator which kills its prey by using the foremost limbs which are modified to form a pair of poison claws. In contrast to […]
Scorpions
( Latin: Scorpiones ) Scorpions are animals of the tropics and subtropics and some species, such as Euscorpius italicus, occur in Southern Europe. They shun the light and hide during the day under rocks or loose bark; some species hide in crevices in houses. Scorpions produce live young which are at first tended by the […]
Animals that bite, sting and irritate
Parasitism is very common in the animal kingdom. It has been estimated that about a quarter of the existing animal species live in or on the remaining three-quarters. The words bite and sting are often used indiscriminately, but it is best to say that an animal bites when it uses its mouth, even when this […]
Pests in House and Home
In writing this book the aim has been to produce a practical handbook which gives a comprehensive account of the animals which can be met indoors in Europe, with particular attention to the tracks and signs they leave and the damage they sometimes do. The use of this book does not require any previous knowledge […]
Arthropod development
Most arthropods lay eggs, but there are a few that produce live young. One of the disadvantages of having an external skeleton is that growth cannot proceed gradually, and so during their life arthropods have to moult a number of times, becoming a little larger each time. Among the insects, development is associated with the […]
Where do invertebrates come from?
For a long time it was thought that small invertebrate animals appeared spontaneously, from dirt and dust, and indeed even that small vertebrates, such as mice, came from woollen textiles. It was not until 1650 that the Italian physician Francesco Redi finally showed that maggots are the larvae of flies. He placed meat and fish […]
Arthropod structure
As the name implies arthropod limbs are divided into joints; the body too is segmented. The most striking feature, however, is that, in contrast to the vertebrates, arthropods have an external skeleton. Their skin is modified to form a firm exoskeleton which serves as a protection and also for the attachment of muscles. The crustaceans […]
Animal names and systematics
In using a book of this type it is essential to understand the method of naming animals. The scientific study known as systematics is concerned with naming animals and plants, and with arranging them in groups which indicate their relationships with one another. Modern systematics is based on the work of the Swedish naturalist Carl […]
Houses as animals habitats
In addition to a favourable climate, an animal must have the right food and plenty of places to hide or shelter in if it is to thrive. The average house certainly has plenty of hiding-places, but it does not always fulfil the other requirements. It would be wrong to suppose that the comfortable warmth of […]
Introduction
If one looks back on the history of man which, so far as it is known has covered a period of perhaps a million years, it will be apparent that for some 99 per cent of this time he has been a hunter and gatherer of food. That is, he has collected edible fruits and […]
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