48 OUR SHADE TREES AND THEIR INSECT DEFOLIATORS. 
however, times go hard with it, and notwithstanding it is very loth to 
change a position once taken, it is sometimes forced to seek better hunt- 
ing grounds, and takes toits wings. The Wheel-bug has been observed 
to remain for days in the same ill-chosen position, for instance upon the 
walls of a building, waiting patiently for something to turn up. It is 
slow in all its motions, but withal very observant of everything occur- 
ring in its neighborhood, proving without doubt great acuteness of 
senses. It does not seem to possess any enemies itself, and a glance at 
its armor willindicate the reason for this unusual exemption.* During 
warm weather this bug possesses a good deal of very searching curi- 
osity, and a thrust with its beak, filled with poison, is very painful in- 
deed. Boys call it the Blood-sucker, a misnomer, since it does not 
suck human blood. The eggs are laid during the autumn in various 
places, but chiefly upon smooth surfaces of the bark of tree-trunks, and 
frequently in such a position as to be somewhat protected against rain 
by a projecting branch. The female bug always selects places the 
color of which is like that of the eggs, so they are nof easy to see, not- 
withstanding their large size. 
“ Huschistus servus Say, is another hemipterous insect that preys upon 
the caterpillar of H. cunea, and in a similar manner to the Wheel-bug. 
Tt is a much smaller, but also a very useful insect. 
“ Podisus spinosus Dall.(Fig. 21), in all its stages was quite numerous 
during the caterpillar plague. 
Its brightly-colored larve and 
pupe (Fig. 22) were usually 
found in small numbers to- 
gether; but as they grew older 
they become more solitary in 4,4. 99 podisus ae 
: _ theirhabits. All stagesofthis #8: 4 pupa; }, larva; ¢, 
Fic. 21.—Podisus spi- . ess. 
nosus: a, enlarged insect frequent the trunk and 
beak ; b, bug, with right . : B 
wings expanded. branches of trees, and are here actively engaged in 
feeding upon various insects. As soon as one of 
the more mature larve or a pupa has impaled its prey, the smaller 
ones crowd about to obtain their share. But the lucky captor is by no 
means willing to divide with the others, and he will frequently project 
his beak forward, thus elevating the caterpillar into the air away from 
the others. The habit of carrying their food in such a difficult position 
has perhaps been acquired simply to prevent others from sharing it. A 
wonderful strength is necessary to perform such a feat, since the cater- 
pillar is sometimes many times as heavy as the bug itself. The greedi- 
ness of this bug was well illustrated in the following observations: A 
pupa of P. spinosus had impaled a caterpillar, and was actively engaged 
in sucking it dry; meanwhile a Wheel-bug utilized a favorable oppor- 
tunity and impaled the pupa, without forcing the same to let go the 
*The eggs of the Wheel-bug are pierced, however, by a little egg-parasite--Lu- 
pelmus reduvit Howard. 
