THE STINK-BUGS AND THEIR ALLIES 



(Family Pentatotnidce.) 



In this large family of bugs, which comprises nearly four 

 thousand species, of which about three hundred inhabit the 

 United States, we find a curious difference in habit in that while 



some of them are exclusively 

 plant feeders others feed both 

 upon plants and upon other 

 insects. This differentiation 

 in habit corresponds in a 

 measure with the subfamily 

 grouping. As a rule these 

 insects are flat and broad, and 

 the antennae are five-jointed. 

 The scutellum is enlarged and 

 in some (the Scutellerinae) 

 covers the whole abdomen. 



f y 



Fig. 207. — Murgantia histrionica. 

 (After Riley. J 



Many species possess an extremely bad odor and taste, which 

 has led Comstock to term the group "the stink-bug family." 

 Very many well- 

 known and common 

 insects belong to this 

 group. The harle- 

 quin cabbage bug 

 (Murgantia hisiriou- 

 ica Hahn.) is a well- 

 known species in cab- 

 bage fields south of 

 New Jersey. It is a 

 serious enemy to cru- 

 ciferous vegetables. 

 In parts of Georgia it is still known as tli 

 and in Texas as the "third-party bug.' 



31J 



Fig. 20S. — Euschistus variolarius. 

 (Author's illustration.) 



' Abe Lincoln bug," 

 The eggs are very 



