386 



AN INTRODUCTION TO ENTOMOLOGY 



oblong-oval in form, of a red color; the hemelytra and an arc on 

 the base of the prothorax, and also the scutelltim, are pale brown. 

 The hemel>i:ra have the costal margin, a narrow line bordering the 

 base of the membrane and continuing diagonally along the outer 

 margin of the clavus, and also a slender streak on the inner margin of 

 the clavus, pale yellow. It varies much in size, ranging from _io mm. 

 to 1 6 mm. in length. The young bugs are bright red 

 with black legs and antennas. From time immemorial 

 this has been one of the worst pests with which the 

 cotton-planters of Florida and the West Indies have 

 had to contend. It does much damage by piercing 

 the stems and bolls with its beak and sucking the sap ; 

 but the principal injury to the crop is from staining 

 the cotton in the opening boll by its excrement. It 

 is also injurious to oranges ; it punctures the rind of 

 the fruit with its beak; and soon decay sets in, and 

 the fruit drops. These insects can be trapped in 

 cotton-flelds by laying chips of sugar-cane upon the 

 earth near the plants ; in orange-groves small heaps 

 of cotton-seed will be found useful, as well as pieces of sugar-cane. 

 The insects that collect upon these traps can be destroyed with hot 

 water . 



The species whose range extends farthest north is Euryophthdlntus 

 succinctus. This is found from New Jersey south to Florida and 

 west to Arizona. It is brownish black, with the lateral and 



Fig. 446.- — Dys- 

 dercus suturelliis 



hind margins of the prothorax, 

 elytra, and the edge of the 

 abdomen, margined with orange 

 or red. It measures about 15 

 mm. in length. 



Family LYG^ID^ 



The Chinch-Bug Family 



the costal margin of the hem- 



Fig. 447. — Hemelytron of Lygaus 

 kalmii. 



The Lygseidas is one of the larger families of the Hemiptera. It 

 includes certain forms which closely resemble members of the pre- 

 ceding family in size, form, and strongly contrasting colors. But the 

 great majority of the species are of smaller size and less brightly col- 

 ored ; and all differ from that family in presenting distinct ocelli. The 

 membrane of the hemelytra is furnished with four or five simple veins, 

 which arise from the base of the membrane ; sometimes the two inner 

 veins are joined to a cell near the base (Fig. 447). 



Nearly two hundred species belonging to this family have been 

 found in our fauna; these represent fifty-five genera and seven 

 subfamilies. Although these insects feed on vegetation, they have 

 attracted but little attention as pests of cultivated plants excepting 

 the following species. 



