356 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



red stripe, with two short oblique ones on each side. The thorax is 

 dusky, marbled with paler, with a median white line, and pale spaces 

 surrounding the four black spots, and is sometimes variegated with 

 crimson. The under side of the head and the tip of the abdomen beneath 

 are also marked with crimson.' 



The fourth stage. This stage is indicated by the much greater develop- 

 ment of the wing pads, they being nearly half the length of the abdomen, 

 and by the relatively much greater breadth of the insect. The antennae 

 are less distinctly ringed; there are now four longitudinal dusky or crim- 

 son lines on the prothorax parallel with its margins; the wing pads are 

 irregularly marked with fuscous; the abdominal sutures are crimson, with 

 a crimson band across each segment. Some individuals are a uniform 

 green above. The insect in this stage is quite variable in its markings. 



With the fourth molt the adult form is assumed. The following 



description of the mature insect is given by Prof. Riley in his second 



report (see citation) : 



This bug is a quite variable species, the males being generally much 

 darker than the females. The more common color of the dried cabinet 

 specimens is a dirty yellow, variegated as in the figure with black and 

 dark brown, and one of the most characteristic 

 marks is a yellow V, sometimes looking more like a 

 Y, or indicated by three simple dots, on the scutel, 

 (the little triangular piece on the middle of the back, 

 behind the thorax). The color of the living speci- 

 mens is much fresher, and frequently inclines to 

 olive green. The thorax, which is finely punctured, 

 is always finely bordered and divic^ed down the 

 middle with yellow, and each of the divisions con- 

 tains two broader longitudinal yellow lines, very 

 frequently obsolete behind. The thighs always have 

 two dark bands or rings near their tips. 



bu^'^ ™f '''/RAT^iNsis Life history and habits. The winter is passed 



(after Rileyj. . . i- • 1 .^i 



by the mature msects m a dormant connition beneath 

 any convenient shelter. They appear with the first indications of growth 

 in the spring and may be found drawing their nutriment from the unfold- 

 ing buds. Eggs are soon deposited on or in the stems of their food- 

 plants, and the young emerging therefrom feed upon the more tender 

 growth. Some of the earlier individuals mature by the middle of May 

 or first of June in this latitude. From this time till September, young 

 in all stages and adults may be found on the plants. This renders 

 it difficult to determine the precise number of broods each year, but 

 there are at least two in the state of New York. 



This insect is very shy, as shown by the mature insects taking wing 

 and the young dropping to the ground on the least alarm, or else moving 

 quickly to the opposite side of the stem or leaf-stalk when approached. 

 On cool mornings and evenings the insects are said to be rather sluggish, 



