200 



INJURIOUS AND BENEFICIAL INSECTS OF CALIFORNIA. 



weakening of the plant. They often emit a very offensive odor on 

 berries, making them unfit for consumption. 



Distribution. — This species is a very common one and is generally 

 distributed throughout the State. 



Food Plants.— There is a large range of food plants, including 

 alfalfa, berries, flowers, fruit trees, grasses and weeds. 



Control. — Though this bug is very common, it seldom congregates 

 in any great numbers and control measures have never been necessary. 



Natural Enemies.— A hymenopterous parasite, Trissolcus thyantce 

 Ashm. li:> destroys many of the eggs. 



THE HARLEQUIN CABBAGE BUG 



Murgantia histrioniea Ilahn 



(Figs. 176, 177) 



Description. — The adult bugs are black with bright red markings, 

 as shown in Fig. 177. They are I inch long and two thirds as wide. 

 The eggs are almost imita- 

 tions of miniature white bar- 

 rels with black hoops and 

 black spots in the proper 

 places for bungholes. They 

 are arranged in clusters side 

 by side. The young greatly 

 resemble the adults, but lack 

 wings and yellow predomi- 

 nates. This color gradually 

 changes to orange and red as 

 the nymphs reach maturity. 



Life History.— The adults 

 hibernate in various shel- 

 tered places and appear 

 with the first warm weather 

 in the spring to feed. The 

 first plants to furnish food 

 are wild mustard, radish and 

 other of the cruciferous 

 weeds. Upon these also the 

 eggs are laid, and the young 

 soon appear in great num- 

 bers in time to migrate to 

 the cabbage plants and work 

 on them throughout the 

 summer. Successive broods 

 may appear in the cabbage 

 fields and the numbers so 

 increase as to cause much 

 damage. In the southern 

 part of the State the adults continue active throughout the winter. 



Fig. 176. — Eggs of the harlequin cabbage bug, 

 Murgantia histrioniea . Hahn. Enlarged four 

 times. (Original) 



6 Jnsect Life, IV, p. 124, 1893, 



