Insects 161 



The Bed-bug (Cimex lectularius) is not our only member of the 

 Cimicidae. Other species of this wingless flattened type prey on 

 bats and birds. The latest addition to our fauna is Hesperocimex 

 coloradensis of List, found in a house in Colorado Springs. 



The species of Miridae are extremely numerous, but small 

 and inconspicuous. The commonest and most wide-spread is the 

 Tarnished Plant-bug (Lygus pratensis of Linnaeus), about 6 mm. 

 long. Every collector of insects finds it among his first captures. 



The aquatic Heteroptera include the Gerridae or Water- 

 striders, which run in a jerky fashion on the surface of the water, 

 the Back-swimmers (Notonectidae) which swim upside down, pro- 

 pelled by their long oar-like legs, the Water-scorpions (Nepidae), 

 the Giant Water-bugs (Belostomatidae) and others. Those living 

 in the water have minute concealed antennae, and hence are 

 called Cryptocerata, the word meaning hidden horns. The Giant 

 Water-bugs are sometimes destructive to young fish. Although 

 these aquatic Hemoptera are highly modified insects, they were 

 well developed in Colorado as early as the Miocene, fossils having 

 been found in the Florissant shales. 



Homoptera 



Our largest Homoptera are the Cicadas (Cicadidae), often 

 mistakenly called locusts. Mr. W. T. Davis has published ( 1 92 1 ) 

 a list of the Colorado species, including 23 living and three fossil. 

 Although these insects are large and conspicuous, and attract our 

 attention by their calls, they usually sit high up in the trees, and 

 are not easily collected. Hence it has happened that the Colorado 

 species were for a long time little known, and of the 23 species, no 

 less than 12 have been made known in quite recent years by Davis. 

 There is a very large wasp (Sphecius) which preys on Cicadas, 

 carrying them to its burrows. Dr. F. E. Lutz tells me that he 

 finds it a good plan to watch for these wasps, and deprive them of 

 their prey, thus securing specimens which otherwise are out of 

 reach. The voices of the different Cicadas are recognizable by 

 experts, being perhaps as distinctive as bird-calls. There is a 

 species which I heard at Tsuruga, Japan, the call of which is so 

 like that of a bird that most people are deceived until they see 

 the insect. One of our common species, a rather small one, is 



