124 HEMIPTERA. 



nary efforts in order to trap and kill these destructive 

 insects. 



The mesothorax with its chitinous scutellum and the 

 metathorax are similar to these parts in the squash- 

 bug. The upper wings are well developed, and for 

 class instruction a single specimen of Belostoma will 

 help the teacher in the way of making clear the pecu- 

 liarly formed Hemipterous wing. 



The following families of Heteroptera are terres- 

 trial. 



REDUVIID.^. 



The interesting " wheel-bug," Prionidus cristatus, 

 Linn. (Fig. 72, a), is found on the cotton plant 

 at the South, which it protects by destroying its ene- 

 mies. The prothorax has a huge cog-wheel crest 

 (see Fig. 72, b). The sucking-tube is stout, and 

 blackened at its tip, indicating that it performs hard 

 work. This is, in fact, true, as the animal is carnivo- 

 rous, thrusting the sucking-tube into the bodies of 

 insects, particularly of caterpillars, as shown in the 

 drawing, which forcibly illustrates the tragic side of 

 insect life. According to Mr. Glover a young Frwni- 

 dus destroyed ten caterpillars in five hours.-^ Fig. 72, r, 

 represents the eggs laid in a hexagonal mass and d two 

 eggs magnified. A harmless-looking member of this 

 family, Opsicxtiis personatus, is found in the Atlantic 

 states. It is from a half-inch to nearly an inch in length, 

 and black or dark brown in color. The prothorax is 

 strongly constricted in the middle, rounded in front, 

 and has a prominent groove on the middle line. 



1 See Rep. on Cotton Insects, Dept. Ag. 1879. 



