Fróðskaparrit - 01.01.1993, Qupperneq 71

PESTS RECORDED IN THE FAROE ISLANDS, 1986-1992
75
destructor (26 records, 7.3%, Fig. 6). This
is a slim, brown beetle of a few mm in
length (Fig. 7). It has a very characteristic
smell of lysol which makes it easy to detect
when it occurs in flour or grain in the larder.
This beetle often wanders around in the
house and can be found considerable dis-
tances from the food stores, where it can
survive for months without eating. The
dark flour beetle originates in Ethiopia in
Africa and appeared for the first time in
Europe in Germany in 1934 in some impor-
ted violet seed. The next recorded occur-
rence was in Sweden in 1936, in seed im-
ported from Germany as food for captive
birds, and it has since then been a widely
distributed synanthrope. It was first recor-
ded in Denmark in 1943 and has since
become very common there as well as in
the Faroes.
The silverfish occurs with 13 records
(3.6%) equally distributed over the year. It
is a primitive wingless insect (Fig. 8). Its
body is covered with shiny silver scales and
it can live for up to 4 or 5 years. The
silverfish is nocturnal, hiding in crevices
during the day. It lives in moist places and
is most commonly found in bathrooms. It is
omnivorous, and although it seldom occurs
in great numbers, it may damage food-
stuffs.
Among other insects which have only
been recorded a few times from domestic
food stores is the German cockroach with 5
records (1.4%). This is a 3-4 cm long fast-
moving insect, it is often found in large
numbers and is difficult to get rid of.
The fungus beetles Clavicornia spp. con-
sist of several species of tiny beetles (2-
Fig. 11. The book-louse Copeognatha sp. Total
length: 1-2 mm.
Mynd 11. Dustlýs, Copeognatha sp. Longd: 1-2 mm.
Clover mrte; Common earwig; —C. problematicus;
Green lacewing; -b- Spiders; Wooddice.
Fig. 12. Monthly distribution of more or less
harmless species. The clover mite, Bryobia
praetiosa (N=6), the common earwig,
Forficula auricularia (N=8), the Carabid
beetle, Carabus problematicus (N=9), the
green lacewing, Chrysopa camea (N=ll),
the woodlice, Oniscoidea, (N=9), the
Aracnidae groups: the harvestmen,
Opiliones and the spiders, Araneae (N=4).
Mynd 12. Mánaðarbýtið av meinaleysum dýrum.
Smærumotta, Bryobia praetiosa (N=6), tví-
sterta, Forficula auricularia (N=8), svarta-
klukka, Carabus problematicus (N=9), gull-
eyga, Chrysopa carnea (N=ll), grátt undir
steini, Oniscoidea, (N=9), torvatrøll,
Opiliones og eiturkoppur, Araneae (N=4).