156 FAMILY V. — PENTATOMID^. 



other crucifers, the affected plants wilting, withering and dying as if 

 they had been swept by fire, whence the name 'fire bug.' A half dozen 

 mature insects are capable of destroying a small plant in one or two 

 days. Some years ago the writer saw many large fields in Maryland 

 and Virginia from which not a single good cabbage could be picked, and 

 observed similar injury to horse-radish and some other crucifers. 



"The eggs are beautiful objects and remarkable for the fact that they 

 closely imitate in miniature white barrels bound with black hoops and 

 with black spots set in the proper place for bung holes. The younger 

 stages, or nymphs, of this species bear considerable resemblance to the 

 mature form, differing, however, in the lack of wings and in having only 

 four joints to the antennae, whereas the adults have five. 



"The experience of years has shown that in order to obtain the best 

 results in the treatment of the harlequin cabbage bug preventives are 

 necessary, as there is great difficulty in obtaining insecticides which are 

 effective and which do not at the same time injure or kill the plants. 

 These preventives are: clean cultural methods, especially in the fall; 

 the use of trap crops of mustard or other plants in the spring, and hand 

 picking, the large size and bright colors of the insect rendering it easy 

 of detection and its sluggish nature assisting in its easy capture." 



105 (174). Murgantia violascens (Westwood), 1837, 34. 



Oval, subdepressed. Above dark blue, shining; a small crescent on 

 each cheek, side margins, a cross on disk and part of hind margins of 

 pronotum, side margins and median line of scutellum, a forked trans- 

 verse line on apical third of corium and incisures of antennae and con- 

 nexivum, ivory-white; membrane blackish-blue, the margins pale; under 

 surface and legs ivory-white, the margins of sterna and ventrals and 

 some lines on femora and tibiae, dark blue or fuscous-brown. Pronotum 

 with a deep submedian transverse punctured groove. Other structural 

 characters as under generic heading. Length, 8 — 9 mm. 



Lignum-vitae Key, Fla., February (Barber). A West Indian, 

 species recorded also from Key Largo, Fla. Not known in the 

 United States outside of that State. The pale margins of 

 scutellum join the median line at apical fifth. 



SUBTRIBE III OF PENTATOMINI. 



To this group or subtribe belong those genera of the tribe 

 Pentatomini whose members have the middle of second ventral 

 armed with a tubercle or spine which projects forward towards 

 or between the hind coxae. They vary much in size and color, 

 but all have the body oval, more or less convex ; head porrect 

 or feebly declivent, cheeks equalling or exceeding tylus ; prono- 

 tum with humeral angles (except in Arvelius) not spined, its 



