io8 



THE STUDY OF INSECTS 



Of the few species in our country but two are widely distributed. These 

 are sluggish insects found in the undergrowth of woods and in meadows 

 and pastures. The most common representative is J&lysus spindsus which 

 is widely distributed in the United States and Canada. It has been found 

 to be a serious pest of tomatoes in some localities for it punctures the stems 

 and fruit and sucks out the juices. 



Family Aradidcs. The members of this family are known as the flat- 

 bugs because their bodies are very flat and thin. They live in the cracks 

 or beneath the bark of dead trees and logs. They are usually brownish 

 to black and the hemelytra are reduced in size. Some of them somewhat 

 resemble bedbugs and because of this there was an old idea prevalent in 

 the days of log houses that bedbugs got into the house from the logs used 

 in constructing it. There are several genera in this family and at least 

 fifty-nine species are known in this country. 



Family Cydnidce. This family includes two fairly well defined groups 

 of bugs, the burrower-bugs and the negro-bugs. Of the first group the 

 species are generally black or very dark brown and they 

 burrow in sandy places or beneath sticks or stones or at the 

 roots of grasses. 



The negro-bugs are short, broad, and very convex. 

 They are mostly black and beetle-like in appearance. They 

 infest various plants. There are only a few species. 



Family Scutelleridce. These are known as the shield- 

 backed bugs because the scutellum covers nearly the 

 whole of the abdomen. The body is short, broad, and 

 convex (Fig. 180). 



Fro. 



shield-backed bu; 



Fig. 180a. — The wheel-bug, Arilus cristatus (From Glover). See page 103. 



