Oct. 21. i9i8 The Meadow Plant Bug, Miris dolabratus 197 



area. Beneath olive and yellow, the former mainly in form of a broad 

 median stripe including some yellow spots. The pectus is mainly yellow, 

 the abdomen yellow (fig. 5, E). 



Reference has been made to the record of Leonard {1916) of rearing 

 Phorantha occidentis from Miris dolabratus in New York. A larva, appar- 

 ently a tachinid, was obtained issuing from a nymph of M, dolabratus at 

 Orono, June 17, 191 6, but it failed to mature. On July 18, 191 6, a 

 nymph which issued from M. dolabratus buried itself promptly in the earth 

 and from this an adult emerged on July 29. This larva issued from the 

 anterior part of the abdomen under the wings, while the host was still 

 alive. The species has not been determined, but is evidently closely 

 related to the species bred by Leonard. 



Spiders are undoubtedly quite efficient enemies of the plant bugs, 

 but they dispose of their prey so completely that little is left as evidence 

 of their work. Mr. Fletcher found an individual of Miris dolabratus en- 

 circled by a spider's web in which it had evidently been captured and 

 enmeshed. In some unpublished records made by Mr. Sherman Bilsing 

 in Ohio a number of different species of spiders are credited with feeding 

 on this species, along with many other capsids. 



The extent to which birds, toads, and other animals may serve to reduce 

 their numbers is open to study. 



The Entomophthorae may be considered as potential checks, but so far 

 no extensive destruction of Miris dolabratus has been noted by them. A 

 dead specimen infested with fungus was collected by Mr. Newman on 

 June 28, 1 91 6. This was sent to the Bureau of Entomology and referred 

 by Dr. Howard to Mr. A. T. Speare. His report is as follows : 



The single specimen of Mtm dolabratus infected by a fungus closely related to the 

 above {Entomophthora aphidis), but, owing to insufficient material, I would not ven- 

 ture to assign it anything but the generic name Entomophthora. Both contributions 

 are very interesting, the latter especially forming, I believe, a new host for this group 

 of parasites. 



CONTROL MEASURES 



While the main efforts in the studies during the summer of 191 6 have 

 been directed toward solving a number of puzzling questions as to the 

 development and habits of the species, and while some definite experi- 

 ments are needed with certain measures that may be suggested on the 

 strength of the facts learned, there is certainly a very definite basis 

 established for certain kinds of treatment that should do much to reduce 

 the numbers of the insect. 



The most fundamental point determined with reference to the insect 

 in connection with control is doubtless the fact that the eggs are deposited 

 in the stems of plants in the fields where the insect has been present. 

 This, in connection with the fact that the great majority, probably 90 

 per cent of the females, are wingless, means that we know that practically 

 all the eggs deposited in midsummer are in the old timothy meadows 

 78775°— 18 5 



