THE REPORT OF THE 



[ No. 19 



The last Annual Report contained Nature-study Lessons on the Cabbage But- 



terfly, written in response to a desire for 



\ 



T". Fig. 37. The development of the Squash Bug. (a) 

 The bug soon after it escapes from the egg ; (b) the bug 

 after the first moult ; (c) the bug after the second moult ; 

 (d) the bug after the third moult ; (e) the bug after the 

 fourth moult ; and ( /) the adult bug after the fifth moult. 

 (Original.)] ,.~T " " "■ 



information about this common in- 

 sect by several teachers who had been 

 induced to introduce object lessons of 

 such a nature into their schools. It ap- 

 pears that the lessons were helpful to 

 many teachers, for frequent requests 

 were made for the article during the 

 past year. Believing that an informa- 

 tion-article on some other common in- 

 sect would be acceptable, the writer 

 ventures again to outline a few lessons 

 on the common Squash Bug of our 

 cucumber and melon patches. 



Occurrence. Who has not seen 

 the dull, smoky-brown insect or bug 

 which hides under the wilted leaves of 

 squash and cucumber in late summer ? 

 Or who has not thrown the bug down 

 in disgust when the penetrating foul 

 odour reached his nostrils 1 In the 

 dead of winter one frequently comes 

 across these bugs in crevices and cor- 

 ners of outbuildings and sheds, where 

 they live in a torpid condition far into 

 the warm weather of the next season. 

 If outbuildings are not to be found the 

 Squash Bugs hide under rubbish, bark 

 and chips, which are usually present in 

 carelessly kept gardens. 



General Characters. When one 

 can examine these bugs in spite of the 

 offensivenef 8 of the odour, many charac- 

 teristic features will be revealed. The 

 three pairs of legs, the two pairs of dark 

 wings, a pair of feelers or antennae, and 

 the three divisions into head, thorax and 

 abdomen (fig. 37, f) can be readily distin- 

 guished, and the thoughtful student will 

 see at once that so far as the major 

 characters are concerned the Squash 

 Bug is similar to the Cabbage Butterily. 

 It is only when the minor characters, 



such'as'the texture of the wings, the shape of the mouth parts, and the size of the feel- 

 ers and legs are considered that differences suflB.cient for classification purposes are seen. 



Colour. — As to colour the adult winged squash bug is rusty-black, or smoky-brown 

 above, and ochre-yellow below. If a magnifying glass be used it can be readily seen that 

 the ground colour of the whole insect is ochre-yellow, and that the rusty-black colour 

 above is produced by innumerable black dots which cover the legs as well as the wings 

 and upper surface of the body. 



It is interesting to notice the change in colour which the young bugs undergo as 

 they pass through successive moults. When the bugs are young the under side of the 

 abdomen is first greenish, then ashy-grey, and finally ochre-yellow. (Are the head and 

 legs always of the same colour as the body ?) 



Head. — The study of the head of an insect is always instructive. The most pro- 

 minent part of the head of a squash bug is the feelers or antennae, which are long, and 

 divided into segments, the first and last being the stoutest. (Fig. 38.) 



