114 SECOND ANNUAL REPORT OF 



[Fig. 83.] I S pent a day with Mr. E. J. Ayres of Villa Eic?ge\ 

 and was surprised to learn that he had become quite 

 discouraged in his efforts to grow young pear trees,, 

 on account of the injuries of a certain bug, which 

 upon examination I found to be the Tarnished Plant- 

 bug, represented enlarged at Figure 83, the hair line 

 at its side showing the natural size. The family to 

 which this bug belongs is the next in a natural ar- 

 rangement to that which includes the notorious 

 Chinch-bug, and the insect is, like that species, a ver- 

 itable bug, and obtains its food by sucking and not biting. The Cap- 

 sus family is a very large one, containing numerous species in this- 

 country, but among them, none but the species under consideration 

 have thrust themselves upon public notice by their evil doings. 



The Tarnished Plant-bug is a very general feeder, attacking very 

 many kinds of herbaceous plants, such ais dahlfas, asters, marigolds, 

 balsams, cabbages, potatoes, turnips, etc. ; and several trees, such as 

 apple, pear, plum, quince, cherry, etc. Its puncture seems to have 

 a peculiarly poisonous effect, on which account, and from its great 

 numbers, it often proves a really formidable foe. It is especially hard 

 on young pear and quince trees, causing the tender leaves and the 

 young shoots and twigs to turn black, as though they had been 

 burned by fire. On old trees it is not so common, though it fre- 

 quently congregates on such as are in bearing, and causes the young 

 fruit to wither and drop. I have passed through potato fields along 

 the Iron Mountain Railroad in Ma}', and found almost every stalk 

 blighted and black from the thrusts of its poisonous beak, and it is 

 not at all surprising that this bug was some years ago actually accused 

 of being the cause of the dreaded potato-rot. 



This bug is a very variable species, the males being generally 

 much darker than the females. The more common color of the dried 

 cabinet specimens is a dirty yellow, variegated as in the figure with 

 black and dark brown, and one of the most characteristic marks, is a 

 yellow Y, sometimes looking more like a Y, or indicated by three 

 simple dots, on the scutel, (the little triangular piece on the middle 

 of the back, behind the thorax). The color of the living specimens 

 is much fresher, and frequently inclines to olive-green. The thorax, 

 which is finely punctured, is always finely bordered and divided down 

 the middle with yellow, and each of the divisions contains two 

 broader logitudinal yellow lines, very frequently obsolete behind. 

 The thighs always have two dark bands or rings near their tips. 



As soon as vegetation starts in the spring, the mature bugs which 

 winter over in all manner of sheltered places may be seen collecting 

 on the various plants which have been mentioned. Early in the 

 morning they may be found buried between the expanding leaves, 

 and at this time they are sluggish and may be shaken down and de- 

 stroyed ; but as the sun gets warmer, they become more active, and 



