10 
July 1-15, maturing of the first brood, followed immediately by the midsummer 
flight, if a migration of immature and adult forms has not been previously occa- 
sioned by the harvesting of grain or the local failure of the food supply. 
July 15-30, union of the sexes and deposition of eggs in the soil about late corn or 
millet, the young of this brood appearing in maximum numbers about August 5. 
August 20 to September 10, maturing of the second brood and partial flight of 
same to late corn or other green crops if in fields of corn already mature and dying. 
September 15 to October 15, autumnal flight to grass lands and concealment in 
grass stools for hibernation. 
Different stages.—The chinch bug goes through six different stages, 
from the egg to the adult insect. The egg is less than three-tenths of 
an inch long, cylindrical, and squarely docked at one end, in color 
pale or whitish when first deposited, but later showing the colors of 
the developing embryo through the shell. The newly hatched larva 
(fig. 4) is but little larger than the egg and resembles the adult insect 
in miniature except in having no wings. It is of a pale reddish color, 
with a yellow band across 
the first two abdominal seg- 
ments. The second larval 
stage resembles the first ex- 
‘cept in being larger, and 
having the head and thoracic 
segments dusky and hard- 
ened. Afterthesecond molt 
there is again an increase in 
Fig. 4.—The chinch bug (Blissus leucopterus): a, b, eggs; size, and the head and thorax 
c, newly hatched larva; d, its tarsus; e, larva after first become still darkerand more 
molt; f, same after second molt; g, pupa—the natural : 
sizes indicated at sides; h, enlarged leg of perfect bug; coriaceous. The next molt 
j, tarsus of same still more enlarged; 7, proboscisorbeak, jntroduces the pupal stage 
enlosseah eon Hiley) of the insect, which resem- 
bles the adult almost exactly, except that the wings are replaced by 
mere wing pads, which latter had already been foreshadowed in the 
last larval stage. The next molt results in the perfect insect. Nearly 
two months are required to complete this life cycle. 
After hatching the chinch bug is extraordinarily active in all stages, 
even the minute larva being able to travel rapidly and to extract itself 
from a considerable depth of covering soil if necessary. 
Habits—In habits this insect is distinctly gregarious, associating 
itself in masses on the plants attacked, commonly going by preference- 
to the lower portions of the plant and, in the early larval stage, even 
working on the superficial roots. . 
Migration.—The first brood is normally developed in wheat land, 
for the simple reason that when the chinch bug takes its spring flight 
wheat is the growing crop which is most likely to attract it. The wheat 
crop matures and is harvested, as a rule, before the first brood of bugs 
has reached maturity or at about the time they are entering the adult 
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