THE COTTON STAINER AND ITS ALLIES 



(Family Pyrrhocoridce.) 



This is not a large family. It comprises less than three hun- 

 dred species, and only about twenty-five are known in the 

 United States. Most of the species are tropical or sub-tropical. 

 They are distinguished from the Lygaeids by the absence of 

 ocelli. As a rule, they are stout, moderately large bugs, and 



Fig. 200. — Largus succinctus. 

 (From U. S. Dept. Agr.) 



are frequently marked with red. The commonest of our native 

 species is Largus succinctus, an insect of very wide distribution, 

 since it occurs from New Jersey to Mexico. It is a brownish- 

 black species with the sides of the thorax margined with orange 

 or red. It is commonly found along the borders of oak woods, 

 and the adults appear in July and August. The young stages 

 are of a brilliant steel-blue color, with reddish legs and a bright 

 red spot at the base of the abdomen. 



The full life history of this species should be worked up. 



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