Oct. 21, i9i8 The Meadow Plant Bug, Miris dolabratus 177 



Orono, Maine, July 5, igi6. 



Dear Sir: The writer is engaged upon a study of a meadow Capsid {Miris dolabratus) 

 for the Maine Agricultural Experiment Station, and since the species is abundant 

 over a considerable area of the northeastern United States it is desirable to secure 

 data from as large an area as possible. Witli the cordial approval of the Station au- 

 thorities and in the hope that the results may have more than local value I am asking 

 assistance in seciuing such data from the entomologists in a number of adjacent states. 

 The data desired covers such items as occurrence, abundance, recognized injury, 

 grasses affected and any matter beai'ing on the life history and habits in the localities 

 reported. Any such information will be welcomed and duly credited. 



The species is one of the larger Capsids, elongate in form, yellow or sometimes red- 

 dish with dark markings and is found usually in great numbers on heads of timothy 

 or other meadow grasses in midsummer. It Is a common species in the Palearctic 

 region and has been known in America for about forty years, the first record apparently 

 being by Provancher for the vicinity of Quebec. There are several facts which point 

 to the possibility that it may have been introduced from Europe somewhat recently 

 and any data as to time of first appearance in any locality will be especially helpful 

 in determining rate of dispersal. If the species is not positively known I will be glad 

 to receive and identify specimens that may be suspected. 



With sincere thanks for any information either as to presence or absence in your 

 locality. 



Very truly yours, 



Herbert Osborn, 

 Experiment Station, Orono, Maine. 



Prof. H. T. Femald, of the Massachusetts Experiment Station, repHed 

 as follows : 



My first note on this insect shows that I took it June 23, 1882, at Orono. I may have 

 taken it before this, but have no note on it. I have also a note that larvae of it were 

 very abundant June 15th, 1883, at Orono. My remembrance of it is that it was always 

 very abundant as far back as 1880 at least, when my observations began. 



Here at Amherst it has been abundant ever since our collections were made, so far 

 as I can learn. We get it sweeping over our grass fields, but as these fields are nearly 

 always more or less mixed grasses, I have not been able to determine exactly which 

 kind of grass it attacks, and in fact I have not given much attention to this insect. 

 Here we get the larvae in abundance about the first of May, varying with the season. 

 Adults begin to appear early in June. I regret to say that I have no further data 

 on this subject, but am confident that a careful examination would show a second 

 generation here the same season at least. Whether there is a third, I do not know. 



Prof. W. E. Britton, of Connecticut, wrote : 



I have your letter of July 5th and wish to inform you that Miris dolabratus Linn, is 

 very common in Connecticut, in fact, so common that in sweeping we do not save 

 the specimens. I have never made a study of this species and can not tell you offhand 

 just what species of grass it attacks. 



The following records are given for Connecticut localities : 

 New Haven, June 16, 24, 1902 (E. J. S. Moore), June 8, 1904 (W. E. 

 Britton); Brooksvale, Sheshire, July 30, 1902 (W, E. Britton); Bran- 

 ford, June 27, 1904 (H. L. Vierick); Mount Carmel (Hamden), June 10, 

 1908 (W. E. Britton); Stratford, June 29, 1908 (W. E. Britton); Ston- 

 ington, June 14, 1906 (W. E. Britton); Wallingford, June 15, 29, 1912 

 (D. J. Cafifery); Wetherfield, June 24, 1913 (L. B. Ripley). 



