The larvae when hatched are white, but soon grow yellow
and brownish black. Young roaches are usually seen in
company with the adults, and it may be that they are cared
for or brooded a little while after birth. If true, this is,
perhaps, the one redeeming feature in the life history of an
otherwise wholly disgusting insect. The black cockroach
HOUSEHOLD PESTS 341
certainly seems to enjoy the antics of his small progeny,
for the little ones run over the parents, cuddle round them,
or are carried by them with no sign of annoyance.
Almost any dead organic matter will furnish food for
some or all the species of domestic roaches. Food supplies,
fabrics, leather, paper, — all may be gnaAved by these insects,
and the damage done to books and clothing is often beyond
repair.
The quantity of food supplies actually consumed, although
by no means inconsiderable, might be overlooked, if these
pests did not so often spoil whatever they come into contact
with. They emit from their mouths and certain scent glands
a dark colored fluid which stains their paths, and from which
and their excrement as well, arises a fetid and disgusting
odor. Shelves, boxes, drawers, and closets infested have
to be washed with hot soap-suds or otherwise disinfected;
clothing often carries the odor, and cooking utensils impart
it, either as odor or taste, to food and drink.
To the initiated this odor often tells the tale of an in-
fested house, when not a roach is seen, as in the case of a
large, fashionable hotel where the warm-air ducts of the
furnace betrayed the secret of a roach-infested cold-air box
or cellar.
Eoaches always seek the dark when disturbed, as if they
knew their deeds were evil. They will even drop from ceil-
ing to floor and scud among the shadows. From this habit
grows the Jirst rule for prevention of the pest.
Allow no cracks in warm, moist places, round sinks and
water pipes, round tubs and baseboards, round chimneys
and steam pipes. Fill them with putty or plaster of Paris,
which may be painted over or colored to match the wood-
work. A small crack is dark, holds dust and dirt which
hold grease and moisture or food wastes, so that all such
places act as invitations to roaches.
342 HANDBOOK OF DOMESTIC SCIENCE
Second: — Keep all places which might harbor roaches
dry and free from crumbs or food materials. A forgotten
crust, a scrap of meat, grains of sugar, or drops of sweet
liquids, may call an army that will overrun the house in
search of food or breeding places.
Third: — Let in the light! sunshine wherever possible.
Abolish the dark, damp sink cupboards, the dark closet.
Where such places exist constant watchfulness is required,
and this may not bring complete relief. Light, dryness,
absence of food, and general cleanness will reduce the cock-
roach problem to its lowest terms.
Kemedies are such or not according to conditions. The
roaches are very wary and soon become accustomed to the
methods used for their extermination, either avoiding them,
if poison, or learning to ignore them, if only disagreeable.
It is well, therefore, to surprise them occasionally by new
methods.
Page 167
Presented as published in 1900. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
The larvae when hatched are white, but soon grow yellow and brownish black. Young roaches are usually seen in company with the adults, and it may be that they are cared for or brooded a little while after birth. If true, this is, perhaps, the one redeeming feature in the life history of an otherwise wholly disgusting insect. The black cockroach
certainly seems to enjoy the antics of his small progeny, for the little ones run over the parents, cuddle round them, or are carried by them with no sign of annoyance.
Almost any dead organic matter will furnish food for some or all the species of domestic roaches. Food supplies, fabrics, leather, paper, — all may be gnawed by these insects, and the damage done to books and clothing is often beyond repair.
The quantity of food supplies actually consumed, although by no means inconsiderable, might be overlooked, if these pests did not so often spoil whatever they come into contact with. They emit from their mouths and certain scent glands a dark colored fluid which stains their paths, and from which and their excrement as well, arises a fetid and disgusting odor. Shelves, boxes, drawers, and closets infested have to be washed with hot soap-suds or otherwise disinfected; clothing often carries the odor, and cooking utensils impart it, either as odor or taste, to food and drink.
To the initiated this odor often tells the tale of an infested house, when not a roach is seen, as in the case of a large, fashionable hotel where the warm-air ducts of the furnace betrayed the secret of a roach-infested cold-air box or cellar.
Roaches always seek the dark when disturbed, as if they knew their deeds were evil. They will even drop from ceiling to floor and scud among the shadows. From this habit grows the Jirst rule for prevention of the pest.
Allow no cracks in warm, moist places, round sinks and water pipes, round tubs and baseboards, round chimneys and steam pipes. Fill them with putty or plaster of Paris, which may be painted over or colored to match the woodwork. A small crack is dark, holds dust and dirt which hold grease and moisture or food wastes, so that all such places act as invitations to roaches.
Second: — Keep all places which might harbor roaches dry and free from crumbs or food materials. A forgotten crust, a scrap of meat, grains of sugar, or drops of sweet liquids, may call an army that will overrun the house in search of food or breeding places.
Third: — Let in the light! sunshine wherever possible. Abolish the dark, damp sink cupboards, the dark closet. Where such places exist constant watchfulness is required, and this may not bring complete relief. Light, dryness, absence of food, and general cleanness will reduce the cockroach problem to its lowest terms.
Kemedies are such or not according to conditions. The roaches are very wary and soon become accustomed to the methods used for their extermination, either avoiding them, if poison, or learning to ignore them, if only disagreeable. It is well, therefore, to surprise them occasionally by new methods.