INJURIOUS INSECTS. 303 



form of "Tarnish Plant-bug" to the adjective form now commonly 

 adopted, but which is far less appropriate than the former, which so 

 exactly describes its effect upon whatever plant it appears. 



It hibernates under loose scales of bark, among drifts of fallen 

 leaves, or under any rubbish that will in a measure shelter it from cold 

 and damp. From these hiding places it emerges as soon as vegetation 

 starts in the spring, and, ravenous from its long fast, it flies to the 

 orchard and congregates upon the opening buds in which it makes 

 numerous punctures and pumps out the sap that should have nour- 

 ished the expanding leaves and blossoms. Nor is it alone the loss of 

 sap from which the plant suffers, but the wounds made by it seem to 

 be peculiarly poisoned, so that the young leaves and flower buds upon 

 which it has worked speedily turn black and wither up, and the whole 

 tree or plant presents a "tarnished" appearance, and, when the attack 

 is very bad, the twigs and small branches often dry up and drop off. 

 The fruit-trees which suffer most are pears and quinces, although all 

 other sorts, except, perhaps, the peach, receive a proportion of punc- 

 tures. On the strawberry bed it has the effect of checking the devel- 

 opment of the berry, and producing deformity where it does not 

 entirely blacken. 



The bug is a small species, not exceeding one-fifth inch in length, 

 of flattened oblong form and dingy brownish yellow or yellow gray 

 color, variegated with dull yellow and dark brown in patches and has 

 a more or less distinct yellow V on the little triangular scutel just be- 

 hind the thorax. The latter division of the body is narrowly bordered 

 and divided down the middle with yellow lines. As in all "true bugs" 

 the tips of the upper wings are membranous and the markings are 

 arranged in oblique lines. The head has three red marks on top and 

 bears the round prominent eyes, the long, jointed antennie and the 

 beak or sucker, which is one-third the length of the body, and when 

 not in use, is folded under against the breast. The six legs, on which 

 the insect runs so nimbly, are rather slender and of a dingy yellow, 

 with two dark bands on the thighs. The males are, as a rule, some- 

 what smaller than the females, and more brightly colored. The young 

 bugs are entirely green, but in other respects differ from those that 

 are mature only in size, and in the absence of wings. During the sum- 

 mer months they are seldom found in any abundance on trees and 

 shrubs, but seem to prefer the more succulent growth of the vegetable 

 garden, and of many weeds. 



The only application that has proved a remedy for this pest is the 

 terosene emulsion. This may be used without danger to trees and 



