19 



Fig. 19.- 



Oncometopia iindata: adult at left, nymph at 

 right— greatly enlarged (original). 



Fab.) (fig. 18), but with it are associated several near relatives with 

 similar habits — Oncometopia nndata Fab. (fig. 19), 0. lateralis Fab. 

 (fig. 20), and Aidacizes irrovata Fab. (fig. 21). Man}^ planters know 

 these insects as "dodgers," from their habit of quickl}^ dodging to 

 the opposite side of the stem 

 when disturbed, and those fa- 

 miliar with them have thought 

 them harmless. 



Extended observation during 

 two seasons has failed to show 

 any injury to cotton done by 

 these insects. Repeated ex- 

 periments with the insects in 

 confinement have failed to show 

 that they ever puncture the 

 squares and bolls. There seems 

 to be not the slightest evidence 

 that the insects are ever inju- 

 rious to cotton, and the sup- 

 posed injury is undoubtedly 

 due to a physiological condi- 

 tion of the plant which, at the season when the supposed injury 

 occurs, causes a marked shedding of the fruit. 



The adult insects hibernate in 

 rubbish on the ground near the 

 food plants and appear in early 

 spring on the elm, yaupon, hack- 

 berry, redbud, 

 Cottonwood, 

 willow, and the 

 tender shoots of 

 other trees, es- 

 pecially on bot- 

 tom land along 

 the streams, 

 where these 

 trees are most common. Here they suck the juices 

 of the tender leaves and terminals and deposit their 

 eggs in the tender leaves and stems. The eggs are 

 laid in a row of 10 to 15, side b}^ side, just under the 

 surface of the leaf, forming a blister-like mark. 

 They hatch in a few days and the young bugs feed in the same places 

 as do their parents. The young bugs, or n3'mphs, shown in figures 

 18, 19, 20, are grayish or yellowish in color and resemble the adults, 



223 



Fig. 20. — Oncumdopia lateralis: adult and nymph — 

 greatly enlarged (original). 



Fig. 21.— Aiilacizes irro- 

 rata: adult — much 

 enlarged (original). 



