THE FALSE TARNISHED PLANT-BUG ON PEARS.* 



P. J. PARROTT and H. E. HODGKISS. 



This is, in certain sections of western New York, a troublesome 

 insect to pear growers. While its injurious work has attracted 

 attention for a long time very little 

 has really been known regarding 

 the miscreant itself and only re- 

 cently have its identity and activi- 

 ties as an orchard pest been under- 

 stood. Aside from the results of 

 these studies, experiments conduct- 

 ed by this Station have also demon- 

 strated that the plant-bug is 

 amenable to spraying. 



DESCRIPTION OF INSECT. 



The adult or parent insect is a 

 plant-bug of the shape indicated 



in Fig. 33. It is about one- FlG - 33.— False Tarnished Plant- 



fourth of an inch in length 



and is darkish brown or yellowish brown in color. The 



mature insect is very similar in its appearance to the 

 Fig. 34.-common tarnished plant-bug Lygus pratensis L. which occurs 

 The Egg. on a great many vvilcl and cultivated plants and is well known 

 to many farmers. The close resemblance 

 between the two forms has suggested 

 the name " false tarnished plant-bug " 

 for the species Lygus invitus Say, which 

 attacks pears. 



The egg is a tiny, pale body which 

 is of a cylindrical form as represented 

 in Fig. 34. The nymphs (Fig. 35) which 

 hatch from the eggs are small creatures 

 which at first are pale in color but become green as they approach 

 maturity. In all stages they have the same general form and differ 



* Reprint of Circular No. 21, February 10, 1913. 



[361] 



Fig. 3o. — First Stage Nymph. 



