HEMIPTERA. 



207 



result of the injury. This species passes the winter in the adult state. 

 When it becomes injurious, the insects should be shaken from the 

 trees upon a sheet, earl}- in the morning-, while they are torpid, and 

 destroyed. 



The most abundant species of the Capsidae in the Northeastern 

 United States is one for which I know no popular name, Leptopterna 

 dolobrdta. In sweeping the grass of meadows, in early summer, in 

 this locality, frequently more specimens of this bug are taken than 

 of all other insects. This species is very different in form from the two 

 preceding, the body being long and narrow. Full)- developed speci- 

 mens measure 9 mm. (0.4 in. > to the tip of the wing-covers ; and are but 

 little more than 2 mm. (.08 in.) in width. The color is greenish 

 yellow marked with black. The markings of the head vary greatly ; 

 there are two longitudinal black stripes extending from the eyes 

 over the prothorax and scutellum. The central part and apex of 

 the scutellum is light-colored. There is a variety in which the cor- 

 neous part of the wing-covers is rust-red. 



Fig. 177. — Wing- 

 cover of Dys- 

 dercus. 



Family XXIX.— Pvrrhocorid^; * 



The members of this family are very different in appearance from 

 those of the preceding family. They are larger, stouter, and more 

 heavily built, and are generally marked with strongly contrasting 

 colors ; red with black or brown are the most usual 

 combinations. In coloring these insects resemble some 

 of the larger species of the following family. The 

 Pyrrhocoridae can be distinguished from the Lygagidae 

 by the absence of ocelli, and by the peculiar venation 

 of the membrane of the wing-covers (Fig. 177). At 



the base of the membrane there are two large cells; 

 and from these arise branching veins. Only twenty- 

 five species of this family are catalogued by Uhler 

 from North America ; and of these but seven are 

 credited to the United States. Our forms occur in 

 the Southern and Western States. 



Our most important species, from an economic 

 standpoint, is the Red-bug or Cotton-stainer, Dysdercus 

 suturellus. This species serves well as an illustration 

 of the appearance of the members of this family 

 (Fig. 178). "It is oblong-oval in form, of a red color; the wing-cov- 



Fig. 178.— Dysder- 

 cus suturellus. 



*Pyrrhoc6ridre, Pyrrhocoris : pyrrhos (rtvppoS), reddish : coris (KopiS), bug. 



