l82 



Journal of Agricultural Research 



Vol. XV, No. 3 



suffers from the fact that so many different insects are present and it is 

 almost impossible to determine the proportion of damage to be charged 

 to each. To judge merely by the numbers present and also by the size 

 and feeding capacity of Miris dolabratus, it may easily be counted among 

 the most destructive to the crop, though it does not kill the plant by 

 attacks at or near the root. 



FOOD PLANTS 



Timothy has been most commonly mentioned as the food plant of 

 Miris dolabratus, and this is quite evidently the grass with which it is most 

 commonly associated, as even where it may be found on other grasses it 

 is usually where timothy forms a large part of the combination of species 

 growing together. 



ViG.i.—MirJs dolabratus: A, adult on timothy head in resting or feeding position; B, female ovipositing; 

 C, eggs from oviduct, nearly or quite mature; D, mature egg ready for deposition; E, mature egg 

 greatly enlarged showing membranous operculum. 



I have found it commonly on timothy heads, veiy evidently feeding, 

 and individuals have been carried along for several instars with no other 

 food; hence, it is clearly a normal food supply (fig. i). I have also found 

 it commonly on orchard grass {Dactylis glomerata), meadow fescue 

 {Fesiuca elatior), and witch grass (Panicum capitlare) and the nymphs 

 seem to thrive on these plants about as well as on the timothy. The 

 meadow plant bug has not been observed commonly on bluegrass {Poa 

 pratensis) or other small grasses or grasses with small seed heads, except 

 as these are mixed with the coarser forms. While it occurs where clover 

 is mixed with timothy and lays eggs in clover stems, it has not been 

 observed ever to feed on stems, leaves, or heads of clover. I believe 

 it is quite strictly a grass-feeding species, primarily adpated to timothy. 



Before the grasses head out, Miris dolaratus is found on the stems and 

 leaves, but the larger part of the growth of the insect occurs after timothy 

 begins to head. The heads seem to be the favorite point of attack. 

 The insects cluster on the heads sometimes in numbers to a single head 

 and thrust their beaks down into the flowerets, evidently drawing their 



