The Squash-Bug and Its Allies 



them are well-known enemies of crops. A curious tropical 

 genus — Phyllomorpha — carries its eggs upon its back. A com- 

 mon species in the western United States known as the box- 

 elder plant bug (Leptocoris trivittaius) frequently does much 

 damage to the box-elder trees which from their rapid growth are 

 commonly planted on western tree claims. 



Life History of the Squash-Bug 



(Anasa tristis De Geer.^ 



The common "squash-bug," as this insect is called, is found 

 all over the United States as well as in Central America. It is a 

 serious enemy to garden plants of the pumpkin family (Cucur- 

 bitacece), but does not damage other vegetation. The egg is 1.5 

 mm. long, stout, somewhat flattened on three sides and is of a 



Fig. 197. — Corizus hyalinus. 

 fFrom U. S. Dept. Agr.J 



Fig. 198. — Leptocoris trivittata. 

 (Fr&m U. S. Dept. Agr.J 



yellowish-brown or dark bronze color. From twenty to forty eggs 

 are laid in a group, each one rather well separated from the others 

 and placed either on the under or upper surface of a leaf, or on a 

 stem. When first hatched the little bug is light green in color 

 with beautiful rose-colored legs, antennae and beak. Later the 

 head and thorax become black and the abdomen gray. There are 

 five distinct molts and the full grown bug is the dark, sordid, ugly 



305 



