20L> 



[NJURIOUS AND BENEFICIAL INSECTS OF CALIFORNIA. 



so thai the folded wings lie in a depression. The beak is four-jointed 

 and the feet three-jointed. The antenna? are inserted above a line 

 drawn from the eyes to the base of the beak. The membranes of the 

 wings have many forked veins rising from a transverse basal vein. The 

 members are pin i it feeders and some often become quite destructive to 

 crops. 



THE SQUASH BUG 



. I hush tristis I ►eGeer 11 " 



(FigS. 178, IT!*) 



Description. — The small, somewhat three-sided eggs are dark 

 metallic brown in color and laid in groups of from fifteen to forty. 

 The newly hatched bug is light green with pinkish appendages. As 



it ages, the thorax, legs and antenna' 

 become black and the abdomen gray. 

 The adults are dark grayish-brown 

 above, mottled yellowish beneath, and 

 about \ inch long. They secrete a very 

 offensive liquid, the odor of which has 

 led to their being called "stink bugs." 

 They hibernate in any dry protected 

 place, under boards, rubbish, etc., or 

 in barns or outhouses. 



Life History. — The eggs are laid 

 in the spring and early summer on 

 the under or upper surface of the 

 leaves, or on the stems of the vines. 



\5f^i> $? t They hatch in about two weeks, and 



the young bugs begin work upon the 

 small plants, and continue through- 

 out the nymphal and adult stages, 

 often causing great damage. The 

 period from egg to adult occupies 

 from one to two months. The latter 

 hibernate and are ready to begin 

 egg-laying as soon as the vines are suitable in the spring. There is only 

 one generation each year. 



Nature of Work. — The young and adults work upon the young 

 plants, often entirely killing them. They also attack the young foliage 

 of older plants. In the process of piercing the tissues, these bugs are 

 carriers of fungous diseases, inoculating healthy plants from diseased 

 ones. 



Distribution. — The squash bug occurs throughout the State and is 

 especially abundant in the central and southern parts. 



Food Plants. — Most of the members of the squash family (Cucur- 

 bitacece), including the pumpkin, squash and gourd are attacked by 

 this bug. 



Control. Hand picking early in the spring, as soon as the adults 

 appear and begin egg-laying is recommended. The vines are so tender 



Fig. ITS. — Eggs and nymphs of the 

 squash bug, Anasa tristis DeGeer. Some 

 Of the eggs in the top picture have 

 hatched. Natural size. (Original) 



alifornia species appears to be a varietal form of the Eastern species. 

 Specii Lmined by J. R. Torre de la Bueno and B. P. Van Duzee have led both 



ts to express l his view. 



