HOW INSECTS AFFECT THE COTTON PLANT. 

 COTTON BUGS. 



21 



Many different species of sucking bugs ^ attack the cotton squares 

 and bolls and do serious injury. Many of them are known as 



Fig. ^.—Cotton stainer: a, Fourth-stage nymph, or pupa: 6, adult. Enlarged. (Insect Life.) 



"pumpkin bugs" and ''stinkbugs," but most of them are simply 

 called plant-bugs. 



Usually the}' breed on many plants besides cotton and are kept 

 under control best by preventing excessive weed growth aromid cot- 

 ton fields. It has 

 been proved that 

 some of these bugs 

 carry plant diseases 

 of cotton, and hence 

 they are to be re- 

 garded as serious 

 pests. Several 

 species are illustra- 

 ted (see figs. 25-29). 



FLOWER BEETLES. 



Fig. 25.— Cotton leaf-bug, Adelphocoris rapidus: a, Mature bug; b 

 nymph; (, fourth stage of nymph; d, fifth stage of nymph, 

 enlarged. (.Sanderson.) 



young 

 Much 



Frequently bee- 

 tles are found in the 

 blooms of cotton, and occasionally they are numerous enough to do 

 much damage. The bUster beetles ^ (see fig. 30) and soldier beetles ~ 



^&' 



A'e:a 



1 Adelphocoris rapidus Say, Leptoglosmx phyllopus h., Largus succinct u s h.. 

 haematoloma H. -Schf., etc. 



2 Epicauta vittata Fab., E. lemniscata Fab., K. cinerea Forst., E.ferruginea Say, etc. 



3 Chauliognathu^ spp. 



