HOW TO KNOW THE INSECTS 



5b Antennae with less than 5 segments 6 



6a Beak four jointed 7 



6b Beak three jointed 13 



7a Front tibia armed with spines and capable of being closed 

 tightly against the femur for catching insects (a); front 

 femur usually thickened; ocelli present; first segment of 



beak short. (The Damsel Bugs). 



Fig. 151. Fami ly 15, NABIDAE 



Fig. 151. Nab is ferus (L.) 



Dull ashy gray or grayish yellow. Head 

 and front of pronotuui with median dark 

 stripe. There are both short-winged and 

 long-winged forms. This is one of sev- 

 eral quite similar Iowa species of this 

 genus. Length 6-9 mm. 



The Damsel bugs are more vicious than 

 their name might indicate. They seem to 

 feed largely on plant lice and other 

 soft-bodied insects. The family is a 

 small one. 



7b Front legs for walking 8 



8a Front wings with a cuneus (a); no ocelli. (The Plant 



Bugs.) Fig. 152. Family 19, MIRIDAE 



Fig. 152. Lygus pratensis (L.) The Tarnished 

 Plant-bug. 



Dull reddish or broijmish yellow m.arked with 

 blackish; clavus and corium usually reddish 

 brown. Length 5-6 mm. (From U.S.D.A.) 



This is perhaps our most common representa- 

 tive of this large family. Plant bugs are 

 very abundant throughout the summ.er. There is 

 wide variation in their color, size and 

 relative shapes. 



Figure 152. 



8b Front wings without a cuneus 9 



9a Body elongate, tarsal claws arising from sides of tarsus 

 above the end. (The Water Striders) Fig. 153. 



Family 24, GERRIDAE 



78 



