576 



week in September, when the season for egg-plants is nearly over. Here 

 they continue breeding until the cold weather sets in. The adults 

 hibernate in the shrivelled leaves or in the ground under debris. In 

 the field, the egg-laying period lasts from four to five days. The minute 

 greenish eggs are deposited on the underside of the leaves in circular 

 masses, incubation lasting from five to seven days. When the young 

 migrate from one leaf to another the female parent usually directs 

 the way and guards her oft'spring. On one occasion, a Coccinellid, 

 Hippodcmiia convergens, was observed to be driven of? on its approach- 

 ing a brood. The nymphs pass through five distinct moulting periods, 

 the total nymphal stage occupying about 10 days. The total life- 

 cycle of this lace-bug occupies approximately 20 days. From seven 

 to eight generations occur in a breeding season of nearly six months. 

 Apparently six generations live on the egg-plant and the remainder 

 on the horse nettle. Most of the generations in the field overlap. 

 Natural enemies include the Coccinellids, H. convergens and Megilla 

 maculata, which, both in the larval and adult forms, feed on the nymphs 

 and adults. A common soldier-bug, Podisus maculiventris, Say, feeds 

 on the nymphs, which are also preyed upon by Triphleps insidiosus, 

 Say. Three spiders, Epeira domiciliorum, Hentz, Plectana stellata, 

 Hentz, and Cliiracanthium indusum, Hentz, were observed feeding on 

 all stages of the lace-bugs. Satisfactory results were obtained in a 

 series of spraying experiments. The best solution was one containing 

 8 lb. of fish-oil soap in 50 U.S. gals, of water. This killed 100 per cent, 

 •of the nymphs and 95 per cent, of the adults. A spray containing 

 nicotine sulphate, but less fish-oil, proved inferior. Too much 

 emphasis cannot be laid on the thoroughness with which the spray 

 must be applied, especially on the underside of the leaves. 



Gibson (E. H.). The Sharp-headed Grain Leaf hopper. — TJ.S. Dept. 

 Agric, Washington, D.C., Bull. no. 254, 29th June 1915, 16 pp. 

 1 fig., 6 tables. 



DraeculacepJiala moUipes infests cereal and forage crops throughout 

 the United States. Nymphs and adults have been taken from wheat, 

 barley, oats, lucerne, Medicago denticidata, Sorghum halepense, etc. 

 Adults alone have been found on kafir corn, sorghum, cowpeas, vetch 

 and Bermuda grass. The chief damage is done to young gi'ain crops 

 in autumn and early spring, direct injury being caused by the feeding 

 of nymphs and adults, which puncture leaf and stem tissue and suck 

 the juices from them. Early stages of injury are indicated by the 

 yellowing of the tissue around the feeding punctures. This is followed 

 by a drying up of the tissue, which turns reddish brown, giving the leaf 

 or stem a spotted appearance. The life-cycle comprises three stages. 

 The eggs are deposited in pockets below the epidermis of the stem or 

 leaf and, under Arizona conditions, hatch in from 3 to 35 days. The 

 average duration of the nymphal stage is 30 days. The number of 

 generations annually, varies from two to six. Hibernation seems to 

 occur in all stages from egg to adult, although the majority of individuals 

 pass the winter in the adult condition, at least in the Southern States. 

 Both nymphs and adults are extremely active, especially on warm 

 sunny days. Oviposition takes place about 10 days after copulation, 



