THE STUDY OF INSECTS 



bracida? ; 



Fig. 183. - 

 Lepyronia quad 

 rangularis. 



the tibiae are armed with one or two stout teeth, and the tip is 

 crowned with short, stout spines, as shown in Figure 183. 



One of the more common and very widely distributed 

 species is Lepyronia quadrangular is (Fig. 183). The adult 



of this species is a brownish insect, densely covered with 

 microscopic hairs, and black beneath; the hemelytra are 

 marked with two oblique brown bands. 



Family Membracid^e 



The Tree-hoppers 



In the tree-hoppers, the prothorax extends backward like a roof over the 

 body, often quite covering it. In some cases the prothorax is 

 elevated above the head, so that it looks like a horn (Fig. 184) ; 

 in others it is shaped like a tam-o'-shanter; and sometimes 

 it has horns, one on each side, which have given one species fig. is 4 . — .En- 

 the name of the buffalo tree-hopper. chenopa binotata. 



Many species of this family live upon bushes or small trees, and all 

 are good leapers; hence the common name, tree-hoppers. Some species 



excrete honey-dew, and are attended by ants. 

 All feed upon plants, but they seldom appear 

 in sufficient numbers to do much damage. 

 Sometimes the females of the buffalo tree- 

 hopper, Ceresa bubalus, injure apple trees by 

 laying their eggs in large numbers in the 

 bark of the smaller branches (Fig. 185). 

 The tree-hoppers of the genus, Telamona, have a hump-backed ap- 

 pearance (Fig. 186). In many of the tree-hoppers, the eyes have a keen, 



Fie. 185.— 

 Ceresa bubalus. 



iS6.— Tcla- 



Fig. 187. — Tree-hoppers. 



droll look, and the line that separates the head from the prothorax 

 gives them the appearance of wearing glasses (Fig. 187). 



Family Cicadellid^e 



The Leaf hoppers 



The most abundant members of the Homoptera, except perhaps the 

 aphids, are the leafhoppers. Large numbers of them can be easily col- 

 lected by sweeping grass, herbage, or the foliage of shrubs. 



