40 



MANUAL OF VEGETABLE-GARDEN INSECTS 



Fig. 34. — Eggs of 

 the harlequin cab- 

 bage bug, side view 

 (X5). 



with two black bands, one broader and more distinct near the 



top and the other near the bottom. There is a black spot just 



above the lower band and sometimes the eggs are irregularly 



blotched with black. The cap of the egg has a semicircular 

 black mark inside the marginal ridge. The 

 e^g, has a striking resemblance to a small 

 white keg with black hoops, the spot on the 

 side suggesting thebunghole (Figs. 33 and 34). 

 The eggs hatch in four to eleven days, de- 

 pending on the temperature. The newly 

 hatched nymph is pale green in color with 

 black markings. The insect passes through 



five nymphal stages and acquires wings at the fifth molt. In 



its later stages, the nymph is brightly colored — black, orange 



or yellow, and red. About two months after hatching, the 



nymphs reach maturity and transform to adults. The adult 



(Fig. 35) is about f inch in length, mottled red, black and 



yellow or orange. In all stages the 



bugs have a disagreeable odor and 



are distasteful to birds. 



In feeding, both adults and 



nymphs puncture the plants and 



suck out the juices. A half dozen 



bugs are enough to kill a cabbage 



or turnip plant. The severity of the 



injury inflicted seems to be out of 



proportion to the amount of food 



withdrawn from the plant and is 



supposed to be produced by a poison 



which the insect injects while feeding. 



Injured cabbage plants wither and turn brown as if scalded. 



The crop in whole fields is often completely destroyed. Many 



gardeners have been deterred from planting cabbage and collards 



because of the ravages of this pest. 



Fig. 35. — The harlequin cab- 

 bug, adult (X 3|). 



