THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 145 



ate ready to emerge from the old pupal skins as adult insects. The 

 adults feed constantly throughout their existence of some thirty days. 



Distribution. — This species occurs in greenhouses in almost every 

 part of the State. Due to the mild climate it also occurs in the open 

 in nearly every section, especially in the central and southern parts. 



Food Plants. — Tomatoes and cucumbers seem to suffer most from the 

 attacks of this pest, though a large number of other plants are infested, 

 including the bean, eggplant, melon, lettuce, grape leaves, aster, chrys- 

 anthemum, salvia, lantana, fuchsia, rose, coleus, geranium, primrose, 

 ageratum, etc. 



Control. — The same as for the citrus white fly {Aleijrodes citri). 



HETEROPTERA (Suborder). 



TRUE BUGS. 



The members of this suborder comprise those commonly known 

 as bugs. Most of them have wings which are thickened at the base 

 and folded so as to make a distinct "X" upon the back. The young 

 differ from the adults by lacking wings or by their small size. 



Though most of them are destructive to vegetation, many are car- 

 nivorous and wage continual warfare upon injurious insects and ani- 

 mals. 



In habits there is also a great variance, there being aquatic as well 

 as land forms. 



Many of them are known as "stink bugs," because of the peculiar 

 and offensive odor which is secreted for protective purposes. 



There are too many families comprising this suborder to admit of a 

 description of each, so the families of the insects treated will be desig- 

 nated at the beginning of each description. 



THE HARLEQUIN CABBAGE BUG. 



Murgantia histrionica Hahn. (Family Pentatomidie). 



(Fig. 128.) 



General Appearance. — The adult bugs are black with bright red 

 markings, as shown in Fig. 128. They are one half inch long and 

 two thirds as wide. The eggs are almost imitations of miniature white 

 barrels with black hoops and black spots in the proper places for bung- 

 holes. They are arranged in clusters side by side. The young greatly 

 resemble the adults, but lack wings and yellow predominates. This 

 color gradually changes to orange and red as the nymphs reach ma- 

 turity. 



Life History. — The adults hibernate in various sheltered places over 

 winter and appear with the first warm weather in the spring to feed. 

 The first plants to furnish food are wild mustard, radish and other 



