300 Phylum Arthropoda 



PERILLUS BIOCULATUS* 



THE adults of Perillus come forth from hibernation as soon as the 

 ground thaws out in the spring. By the time potato plants show 

 above ground and the first potato beetles appear, Perillus may be found 

 in the potato fields. Their first meal in the spring is sap from the potato 

 plant, but after that their food is almost exclusively the body fluids of 

 potato beetles, eggs, and larvae. 



For rearing Perillus the ordinary type of jelly glass was found to be 

 a very convenient cage. One pair of bugs in a glass will take very kindly 

 to this arrangement, and, when fed daily, will produce eggs quite as 

 freely as in the field. After the bugs have been confined in the jars for 

 two or three weeks they become very tame, rarely trying to fly when 

 handled. The female bug will lay her eggs on the potato leaves when 

 these are provided, but in the absence of these will lay eggs readily on 

 the sides of the jar or on cheesecloth when it is supplied. As fast as the 

 eggs are laid they may be removed to new jars for rearing. After the 

 nymphs attain the 3rd instar it is best not to keep more than 6 or 8 in 

 one jar. Unless plenty of food is available at all times the bugs may 

 develop cannibalism. However, when the bugs are not overcrowded this 

 difficulty rarely occurs. It was found necessary to clean the breeding 

 jars frequently, especially when rearing nymphs on larvae of the potato 

 beetle. 



The writer reared Perillus from egg to adult on nothing but mature 

 beetles, but the beetles were always rendered helpless for the benefit of 

 the nymphs in the 2nd and 3rd instars. The bugs should be fed once or 

 twice a day, although they will get along if neglected for a day. More 

 labor is necessary in rearing Perillus on adult beetles alone than when 

 grubs are available, yet it has been done in order to rear a fall genera- 

 tion of bugs after the potato beetle grubs have disappeared. By this 

 method of rearing Perillus might no doubt be kept active and breeding 

 during the winter months if proper greenhouse facilities were available. 



M. E. D. 



Family coreidar 



J 



CORIZUS HYALINUS AND C. SIDAE** 



THE writer has reared Corizus hyalinus through the whole course 

 of its life history on a wild lettuce, Lactuca scariola, and has observed 

 numerous adults, nymphs, and eggs on this plant in the field. Eggs of 



♦Abstracted from an article in the igth Rept. State Ent. of Minn. p. 50, 1922, by 

 Harry H. Knight, Iowa State College. 



** Abstracted from an article in Ann. Ent. Soc. Amer. 21:189, 1928, by Philip A. 

 Readio, Cornell University. 



