Science: Bogue's Bugs

Rush 10,000,000 Hippodamla convergens.

To an entomologist, 10,000,000 Hippodamla convergens means so many ladybird beetles—small, black-stippled yellow inhabitants of California's high Sierras, fond of eating the eggs of the vegetable aphis (louse) which is a scourge of most truck farmers. To Robert Bogue, who is both an entomologist and a businessman, 10,000,000 Hippodamla convergens last week meant the biggest order yet received for his chief stock-in-trade.

Robert Bogue got a pencil, computed how much water would be necessary to keep 10,000,000 comatose ladybirds at the proper humidity during shipment from his bug...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!