IRISH GARDENING 



The Green Plant-Bug, 



Lyotts pdbiiliiiiis (Linn). 



EARLY in Aiijjust specimens of this insect were 

 received from Monag^haii, with the information 

 that they were very ilestruclive to rose-bnds and 

 to young shoots. My correspondent (Dr J. C. Hall) 

 wrote : — " They iiave done more damagfe to myroses 

 this year than ;iphids and g'rubs combined, for once 

 they attack a shoot it seems to slop growing', and 

 seldom or never forms a flower-bud." 



The plant-bugs belong to the same order (Hemiptera) 

 as the well known " ureenflj' " and scale insects. Hut 

 while the latter are members of the sub-order Hoinop- 

 tera— in which the fore-wings do not usually dilTer 

 m.arkedly from the hind-wings in te.^ture — the plant- 

 bugs are included in the sub-order Heteroptera, in 

 which the fore-wings are usually divided into distinct 

 areas, most of which are firm antl protective in function. 

 The present species belongs to the family Capsida-, 

 which comprises most of the Heteroptera found in 

 Ireland. Most of the Capsida; feed by sucking the 

 juices of plants (lit all the Hemiptera there is ^in elon- 

 gated, jointed groo\'etl beak or rostrum in which work 

 two pair of piercers), but they rarely attract notice by 

 seriously damaging cultivated plants. 



Lygiis fiiibiilinns may be distinguished by its green 

 colour, its very long and slender feelers, the incomplete 

 keel across the vertex of its head (visible only at the 

 sides near the eyes), and the very fine and minute 

 spines on the shins. It grows to a length of 6 mm. 

 (about yi inch;. In Ireland it is a common and widely 

 spread species, found on many kinds of low-growing 

 plants. 



On account of the cuticle of these plant-bugs being 

 much firmer and more resistent than that of the aphida; 

 or "greenfly," the quassia or paraffin wash that is 

 effective as a contact poison in killing the latter insects 

 will here be of little use, except perhaps against the 

 youngest stages. Like most of the Hemiptera, these 

 platitbugs go through no markeel transformations; the 

 young resemble the adults, except for the absence of 

 wings, which are gradually acquired during the stages 

 of growth, throughout which the insect is active and 

 contiinies to feed by suction. In the L'nited States, 

 where several insects of this group are injurious to 

 foliage, the entomologists recommend that the insects 

 be shaken olf the plants and be caught in vessels of 

 p.iraflin and water. 



The Onion Fly. 



llylcinyiaanliqua (Meig). {^^cepc/oi urn, Meade). 



FOR the present record of serious damage to onions 

 in the west of Ireland b\' the maggots of this well- 

 kiiown species we have also to thank Dr. G. H. 

 Pethybridge, who forwarded many specimens of the 

 insect in its various stages during September and 

 October. 



The fly is closely allied to the cabbage fly (Phvrbin 

 bmssica'). The onion fly is about 6.5 mm. ('+ inch) long 

 slightly larger than the cabbage fly. .Vs in that species 

 the male has a parallel-sided body, which is dark grey 

 in colour, with four longitudinal brown stripes on the 

 thora.x, and a series of triangular black spots on the 

 abdomen. The male onion fly diflers from the male 

 cabbage fly in not having the conspicuous tufts of black 

 bristles at the base of the hind leg, which distinguishes 



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