Pentatomidae 299 



It is worth pointing out that related bugs, particularly the Cydnidae 

 and the Corimelaenidae, in many cases have habits similar to those of 

 Acanthaloma denticulata and no doubt might be reared successfully by 

 collection and use of the proper seeds as food. Likewise, in the Ly- 

 gaeidae (Andre, 1935), cultures of almost any of the so-called milkweed 

 bugs (Lygaeus and Oncopeltus) may be kept going easily and almost 

 indefinitely simply by providing the caged insects with dried seeds or 

 ripened seedpods of milkweeds for food, water for drink, and cotton in 

 which they will readily oviposit. 



Bibliography 



Harris, H. M., and Andre, Floyd. 1934. Notes on the Biology of Acantholoma 

 denticulata Stal (Hemiptera, Scutelleridae) . Ann. Ent. Soc. Amer., 27:5. 



Andre, Floyd. 1935. Notes on the Biology of Oncopeltus fasciatus (Dallas). 

 Iowa State College J. of Sci. 9:73. 



Family pentatomidae 



A METHOD OF REARING FOUR SPECIES OF PLANT BUGS 



F. G. Mundlnger, New York State Agricultural Experiment Station 



THE species concerned here are Acrosternum hilar e, Euschistus 

 euschistoides, E. variolarius, and E. tristigmiis. These species are 

 common in central New York State from early spring until late fall and 

 may be captured by sweeping grass or beating the bushes with a strong 

 insect net. Some of the natural food plants are Viburnum aceri folium, 

 Cornus racemosa, Vaccinium stamineum, and a species of Smilax, prob- 

 ably 5. herbacea. Cucumber serves as an excellent supplementary food 

 but only the firmer portions of this or any other fruit should be used 

 where small nymphs are concerned. Screen-topped, glass jars, quart-size 

 or smaller, partially filled with sterile, moist sand packed down to sup- 

 port a small twig of the food plant, make good breeding and rearing jars. 

 Daily inspection of these should be made in warm weather and wilted 

 food material replaced by fresh. The same technique may be followed 

 for the four species. 



I have not reared successive generations of these species. In this 

 region these plant bugs appear to be single-brooded. I have caged reared 

 specimens for some time but failed to secure any eggs. Each year I 

 have begun my experiments with material captured in the field. 



