THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST. Ill 



THE FALSE CRmCR-B\JG — m/sius destructor, N. Sp. 

 ( Subortl. Hkteropteka, Fara. Lyg^idjs). 



A NEW ENEMY TO THE GRAPE-VINE, POTATO, CABBAGE, AND M^VN^Y CliUCIFEHOUS PLANTS. 



By calling this a neio enemy, I do not wish to be understood 

 to intimate that it never existed before. It has, in all probability, 

 [Fig. 40.] been in existence as long as its more injurious, gen- 



uine name-sake ; but 1 call it new because it has 

 heretofore been unknown as an injurious insect, and 

 because, further, it has not even been described by 

 entomologists, though I have had it in my cabinet 

 for some years.* 



The first time I heard of the injuries of this in- 

 , ^ sect was in the fore part of last May, when I learned 



J/ ^^j/ 11 that young Delaware vines, belonging to Dr. James 

 ' ^ D. Davis, of Clarksville, Missouri, were being much 



J. injured by them, and that they were so numerous 



that the ground was literally covered with them. From many speci- 

 mens received, they all at that season proved to be in the immature 

 stages. Subsequently I received the following letters, which refer to 

 the same species : 



Deak Sir — Dr. Bell, living four miles from this city, sends in the 

 inclosed insects, which he says are destroying his potatoes. He wishes 

 to know what they are, and if you can suggest any way of driving 

 them off or protecting his crops against them. Will you be so kind as 

 to write me? I send specimen of leaf showing injuries. 



Yours, truly, W. B. STONE. 



Kansas City, Missouri, June 15, 1872. 



Dear Sir — Many of our market gardeners are complaining of the 

 ravages of a certain insect of the order Hemiptera, of which I send 

 specimens in box by mail with this note. The pest in localities oc- 

 curs in great numbers, injuring the foliage of turnips, beets, radishes 

 and cabbages. Can you tell me the name, and refer me to some ac- 

 count of this bug ? 



Thanks for your prompt reply to my inquiry concerning the White 

 Grub Sprout. 



Hoping soon to hear from you, I remain most sincerely yours, 



F. H. SNOW. 



State University, Lawrence, Kansas, June 24, 1872. 



* Last summer I annomiced my intention to describe it in tlie Western Planter tor June 29tli, 1872; 

 but Mr. Wra. R. Howard, of Forsyth, not having noticed the announcement, subsequently published 

 in Phillips' Southern Planter, under the name of Nysius ra}}hamis, a description whicli, consider- 

 ing the close resemblances the bug bears to otlier described species of Nysius, and tlie variation it is 

 subject to, was somewhat insufficient, but which was afterward copied into the Country Gentleman 

 (Sept. 15th, 1S72), and the Canadian Entomologist (Nov. 1872). Upon communicating the facts to Mr. 

 Howard, and for otlier good reasons, he expressed the desire to sink his own name in favor of that here 

 employed. 



