62 



THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



men. The nymphs are usually somewhat lighter than the apterous 

 females. 



Life History. — The lice appear early in the spring, infesting all sorts 

 of plants and often becoming a most serious pest before the farmer is 

 aware of their presence. They continue to work until about the middle 

 of the summer, when they gradually decrease and are apparently all 

 gone by wdnter. 



E. .O. ESSIO., 



Fig. 50. — The melon aphis (ApJiis gossijpii Glover). A, winged female; B, apter- 

 ous female ; a and b, dorsal and ventral aspects of pygidium of winged female ; 

 c, antenna, g, cornicle, h, third antennal article of same ; d and e, px^gidium of 

 apterous female; f, style and i, cornicle of same. (Essig, P. C. Jr. Ent.) 



Distribution. — Tliroughout the entire State. Without doubt this is 

 one of the commonest black aphids met with. 



Food Plants. — The foliage and young shoots of the plants are 

 attacked. On citrus trees the tender shoots are often entirely destroyed 

 by the lice. Vines are injured throughout. The plants attacked 

 by this pest are: all citrus species, shepherd's purse {Bursa hursa- 

 pastoris), melons, gourds and cotton. 



