HEMIPTERA 



107 



Other Families of the Hemiptera 



For a more detailed discussion of the following families the student is 

 referred to "An Introduction to Entomology" by J. H. Comstock. 



Family Naucoridce. The creeping water-bugs are flat-bodied mod- 

 erate-sized insects living in water. The front legs are fitted for grasping 

 and the insects live among reedy or grassy, quiet waters where they creep 

 about among the plants. There are only two genera in our fauna, Pelo- 

 coris and Ambry sus, with but a few species. 



Family Ochteridce. These are shore-inhabiting bugs with only a few 

 species in the United States, all of the genus Ochterus. 



Family Mesoveliidce. There are only two species of this family known 

 in our fauna. Both are small insects less than one-fourth of an inch in 

 length. One, at least, lives on the surface of the water in quiet ponds. 

 Family Hebrides. This is a family of small plump-bodied bugs meas- 

 uring less than one-eighth of an inch in length. There are two genera, 

 Hebrus and Merragdta, containing but six species in our fauna at the 

 present time. 



Family Hydrometridce. At least three species of these long, narrow- 

 bodied insects with long, slender legs and antennae occur 

 in the United States (Fig. 178). They creep slowly upon 

 the surface of the water in quiet weedy places. 



Family Schizopteridce. But a single species of this 

 family has yet been found in the United States. This 

 one is only about -jV of an inch in length. It lives among 

 fallen leaves, rubbish, and earth. 



Family Dipsocorida. There are only two or three 

 species of this family and they are all small, less than 

 1*2 of an inch in length. 



Family Isometopidce. Two species of this family 

 have been found in the Southwest and two in the East. 

 Both of the eastern forms are rare and all of them are 

 small measuring not more than -^ of an inch in length. 



Family Termatophylidce. This family, although small 

 in number, is world wide in distribution. One species 



has been found in the United States, but only 

 the female of this one has been described. 



Family Polyctenidce. The many-combed bugs 

 are rare but are of interest because they are 

 parasitic on bats. One species, Hesperoctenes 

 longiceps, has been described from a bat in 

 southern California. The hemelytra are vestigial. 

 Family Enicocephalidce. These are called 

 the unique-headed bugs because the head 

 differs in form from all other Hemiptera. Ap- 

 parently but two species have been found up 

 to this time in the United States. 



Family Neididce. The Neididae, known as 



stilt-bugs, are striking in appearance because 



the body is long and narrow and is furnished 



fig. no. — jaiysmspinosus. with long slender antennae and legs (Fig. 179). 



Fig. 178. — Hydrometra. 



