THE CHINCH BUG IN MAINE; 



With Some Observations and Experiments. 



H. W. Britcher. 



For nearly a century and a quarter the chinch bug, Blissiis 

 leucopteris, Say, has been recognized as a pest in the United 

 States. In 1785 so much damage was done in North CaroHna 

 that in some districts wheat growing was abandoned. In 1809 

 another serious visitation occurred in that state and during a 

 third destructive period in 1839 losses were also reported in 

 South Carolina and Virginia. Between 1845 ^^^ 1850 injuries 

 were reported from Illinois, Indiana and \Msconsin and during 

 the few following years its destructive presence became known 

 in other states. The loss due to its ravages in 1887 in Kentucky, 

 Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri and Kansas 

 was estimated at $60,000,000, and it is further estimated that the 

 total losses for the period from 1850 to 1898 were $330,000,000, 

 chiefly in the above nine states. Although it occurs in largest 

 numbers and does its chief injury in the states of the ^Mississippi 

 Valley, its presence is known in every state of the Union except 

 Oregon, Washington, Montana, Idaho, Nevada, Utah and Ari- 

 zona. The crops, whose partial or total destruction has resulted 

 in such enormous losses, include wheat, barley, rye, corn and 

 several grasses.''' 



DESCRIPTION. 



The chinch bug, which by its presence in 

 vast hordes is able to cause such immense 

 losses, is a near relative of the group of bugs 

 popularly known as "stink bugs" and has, in 

 common with them, the habit when disturbed 

 of emitting a peculiar odor. When full 

 grown it is about one-sixth of an inch long 

 and one-twentieth of an inch broad. It is 

 black in color, with a flat back upon which 

 rest the wings, which are whitish in color 

 FiG.n. CHINCH BUG. '^vith a black spot at about the middle of the 

 Jl^to'^'i'I I'^'VS'^ V'r external edge of each. In some individuals 



shows natural length. o 



* The first part of this bulletin is largely a compilation from Bulletin So. 15 of 

 the Division of Entomology of the LT. S. Department of Agriculture, entitled The 

 Chinch Bug, by F. M. Webster. 



