HOW INSECTS AFFECT THE COTTON PLANT. 



23 



MOTH STALK-BORER.i 



• Occasionally cotton stalks are bored by the caterpillar of the 

 stalk-borer (fig 32). Ordinarily it attacks various weeds, including 



"bloodweed." ^ Weed destruction, 



therefore, is the obvious control measure. 



COTTON STALK-BORER BEETLE.' 



The cotton stalk-borer beetle some- 

 times is found in Texas boring in cotton 

 stalks, but it is supposed to attack only 

 plants damaged by some other agency. 



SNOWY TREE CRICKET.^ 



In the fall of the year cotton stalks 

 frequently are found with the stems 

 roughened by the egg punctures of the 

 snowy and other tree crickets. These 

 tree crickets also oviposit in weeds. 

 They pass the winter in the egg stage 

 in the old stalks and in the spring the young crickets hatch. Thoy 

 feed on vegetation of all kinds. Fall destruction of cotton stalks 

 and weeds is a practical control measure. 



Fig. 28.— a plant-bug, Leptoglossus op- 

 positus. Twice natural size. (Chit- 

 tenden.) 



Fig. 29.— The green soldier bug ( Nezara hilaris): a, Mature bug; 6, beak of same; r, egg mass; d.single egg; 

 e, young nymph;/, last stage of nymph. All enlarged; 6, d, more enlarged. (Sanderson.) 



SHARPSHOOTERS.' 



The leafhoppers seen so frequently on the cotton stalks (see figs. 

 33-36) in the late summer and fall, dodging out of sight around the 

 stem, are commonly called "sharpshooters" with the doubtful 



1 Papaipema nitela Guen. 



^Ambrosia trifida, and other species of .Vmbrosia. 



^ Ataxia crypta Say. 



* Oecanthus niveus DeG. 



5 Homalodisca triquetra Fab., Oncometopia undata Fab., Oncometopia lateralis Fab., a.iid Aulaazes trrorata 



Fab. 



