INJURIOUS AND BENEFICIAL INSECTS OF CALIFORNIA. 



201 



Nature of Work.— The bug in all stages pierces the tissues of the 

 plant with the proboscis and sucks out the juices, thereby greatly 

 weakening the host and causing the foliage to turn yellow. Plants 

 are often dwarfed or entirely killed by its attacks. 



Distribution.— This is a common insect throughout the entire State, 

 but is more often met with in the central and southern sections. 



Food Plants. — This bug is specially fond of all cruciferous plants, 

 including cabbage, cauliflower, kale, radish, horseradish, rape, Strep- 

 tantJtus orMculatus and mustard. Other food plants are asparagus, 

 bean, beet, cherry, chrysanthemum, corn, eggplant, grape, lambsquar- 

 ters, lemon, wild lettuce, locust, okra, orange, pigweed, plum, potato, 

 ragweed, rose, squash and sunflower. 



Fig. 177. — Adults of the harlequin cabbage bug, Murgantia histrionica 

 Hahn. Natural size. (Original) 



Control.— Methods recommended for the squash bug are also appli- 

 cable to the control of the cabbage bug. Planting an early crop of 

 cabbage, kale, rape, mustard or radish is especially recommended. The 

 eggs are laid in great numbers upon these plants and together with the 

 adults may be destroyed. This practice greatly lessens subsequent 

 attacks. 



Natural Enemies. — Great numbers of the eggs are destroyed by 

 two small internal parasites, Trissolcus murgemtice Ashm. and Oarn- 

 cyrtus johnsoni How. The wheel bug, Arilvs cristatus Linn., feeds 

 upon the young nymphs in the Eastern States. 



COREID.E (Family) 



SQUASH BUGS 



The species are usually of medium or rather large size, oblong in 

 shape and flattened on the dorsum. The hind legs are sometimes 

 abnormally enlarged and the margins of the abdomen are often raised 



