19 INSECTS INJURIOUS IN 1902. 
a brief description which with the pictures should be sufficient for 
those not acquainted with it. 
The full grown insect is about % of an inch long; black with 
whitish wing covers; a prominent black spot marks the outer edge 
of each wing cover (a casual observer would call these wings) at 
about the center. There is, too, a form with short wings and 
individuals are found between these two extremes, that is with 
wings of various lengths. The female lays her whitish eggs, one 
individual depositing nearly 500, but not all in one batch, at base 
of plant, for the main part on the roots. From two to four weeks 
are occupied in egg laying. The eggs hatch in about two weeks 
but may hatch sooner and may take longer. The young larva is 
reddish and extremely active. As it grows it becomes darker 
colored and more like adult. In about two months it becomes 
full grown like its parent. During this two months it is sucking 
the vitality of wheat, barley, if there is any in its neighborhood, 
and swarming on the roots of pigeon grass and millet if it is for- 
tunate enough to find it. Oats do not meet with favor unless there 
is lack of other feed. Millet appears to be its preference, a fact 
which will be further commented upon later, and even if on the 
corn it will leave that succulent plant to gather by the thousands 
about a piece of pigeon grass. 
It loves warm sunshine, and cold and wet are disastrous, 
which latter fact may account for the comparative scarcity of the 
pest in our State this year, and for the fact that sandy soil where 
the wheat does not grow rankly and thus allows the sun to reach 
the soil at its base is worst affected. When the grain is cut or 
before if it becomes destitute of sap, old, half grown and young 
Chinch Bugs migrate to the nearest crop which is still succulent. 
This is generally corn and thousands can be seen migrating to new 
pastures. It is a curious fact, that, although many are winged at 
this time they do not fly but for the most part travel over the 
dusty soil with their less fortunate companions. If they are al- 
ready in the corn and this has matured they will leave the corn as 
they do the wheat. This migratory horde will sometimes pene- 
trate to the 15th or 20th row in the corn field and even further, 
the outer rows appearing frequently almost black with the pest. 
Soon after the middle of September the generations raised 
during the summer begin to seek winter quarters which may be 
