HEMIP TERA . 123 



are perhaps as primitive as any of the existing Heteroptera; 

 but, on the other hand, we find here forms that represent 

 the widest divergence from the hemipterous type known to 

 us. 



These three suborders can be separated by the following 

 table : 



A. Wingless Hemiptera, parasitic upon man and other Mammals, 



with a fleshy, unjointed beak p. 147 II. PARASITICA. 



AA. Hemiptera with or without wings, but with a jointed beak. 

 B. First pair of wings thickened at the base, with thinner extremi- 

 ties, which overlap on the back; beak arising from the front 

 part of the head (Fig. 140, a), p. 123. . . ..I. HETEROPTERA. 

 BB. Wings of the same thickness throughout, and usually sloping 

 at the sides of the body ; beak arising from the hinder part of 

 the lower side of the head (Fig. 140, b) p. 148. III. HOMOPTERA. 



Suborder HETEROPTERA (Het-e-rop'te-ra). 



The True Bugs. 



People that know but little regarding entomology are apt 

 to apply the term bug to any kind of insect ; but, strictly 

 speaking, only the Hemiptera are bugs, and many restrict 

 the term to members of this suborder. We therefore des- 

 ignate the Heteroptera as the True Bugs. 



The bugs are very common insects. They abound on 

 grass and on the foliage of other plants. Certain foul-smell- 

 ing members of this group are well-known pests in gardens, 

 and upon berries in fields. 



In this suborder the first pair of wings are thickened at 

 the base, while the tips, which overlap each other on the 

 back of the insect, are thin and transparent ; and the beak 

 arises from the front part of the head (Fig. 140, a}. Some of 

 the Heteroptera live in water, others on land, while still 

 others live on the surface of the water or in marshy places. 

 Each of these modes of life are characteristic of certain fami- 

 lies. The name Heteroptera is from the Greek heteros, di- 

 verse, and pteron, a wing. The following synopsis will aid 



