14 BULLETIN NO. 1, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 
THE RED BUG (Dysdercus suturellus) AS AN ENEMY OF THE ORANGE. 
CRESCENT CITY, FLA., January 17, 1881. 
Str: A few days ago I learned that the “red bug” of cotton (Dysder- 
cus suturellus H. Sch.) was puncturing oranges in Squire Harp’s grove. 
To-day I visited Harp’s grove, and found not a single orange upon the 
trees. The greater part of the crop has been gathered, and the re 
mainder destroyed by the bugs. Rotten and rotting oranges lay scat- 
tered about under the trees, and upon all those which were not entirely 
decayed the red bugs clustered thickly. Bugs also gathered upon frag- 
ments of dry orange-peel upon the ground. Was shown a pile of fruit 
in packing-house, now entirely rotten, and which consisted of 3,000 
oranges (counted). This fruit was destroyed in part while in the pack- 
ing-house, the bugs having followed it into the house, which stands in 
one corner of the grove. Cotton has been planted for several succes- 
sive years in the grove and fields adjoining. This year cotton is planted 
in one portion of the older grove, and in several fields nearly surround- 
ing it. The cotton has not been kept picked, and stalks as well as the 
ground are white with the waste lint and seed. To this the bugs are 
now returning, although for a time they are said to have nearly deserted 
the cotton for the oranges. Last year I remember to have seen the red 
bug in moderate numbers in this and other fields in the vicinity, but 
never saw any on the oranges. The bug has never before been known 
to attract notice of cotton or orange growers in this place. Last year 
I found them very abundant at Hawthorne and elsewhere in Alachua 
County, but not extending farther north than Gainesville. Dr. MeMee- 
kin, of Hawthorne, and others about there, were seriously damaged as 
to cotton. J think I heard a statement by him, or some one of his 
neighbors, that the bug attacked oranges, but do not remember that any 
serious complaint was made. My notes (spring of 1879) will show what 
was said at that time. Here at Crescent City there has been some cot- 
ton (all “sea-island”) raised for ten or twelve years, but until last year. 
the acreage was very small. Lately a cotton-gin has been established 
here, and a much larger acreage of cotton has been planted in conse- 
quence by Harp and his immediate neighbors. Most of the cotton 
planted has been in Harp’s immediate vicinity, although a number of 
other settlers have utilized the ground in young groves by planting cot- 
ton between the rows of orange trees. This practice, after one or two 
years’ experience, is being abandoned by most of the orange-growers, 
but it is likely to be continued by a few natives of Georgia, who have 
always been accustomed to raise some cotton. 
In puncturing the orange the bugs insert their fine sucking beak 
often its entire length, and while it seems to me that the oil of the rind 
is their principal food, yet in some instances they penetrate through 
