59 



Farmer, that the insect passes the winter in the pupa state, and 

 although the evidence obtained by Prof. Riley indicates that some 

 hybernate in the perfect state, yet I cannot think this is the usual 

 way. It is also possible that some pass the winter in the egg state, 

 but this I think is by no means common. 



Burning of the grass in the spring where it can be done is evident- 

 ly the best preventive that is yet known. When a meadow becomes 

 badly infested, the grass had better be plowed under at once, thus 

 burying the worms, which, when they get to the surface will scarcely 

 be able to migrate, and a large number will perish before they can 

 return to the surface. 



THE HARLEQUIN CABBAGE BUG. 



This insect is a true bug belonging to the order Hemiptera, and has 

 for a mouth a horney jointed tube or beak similar to that of the com- 

 mon squash bug. Its scientific name is Murgantia histrionica, accord- 

 ing to the most recent arrangement; formerly it belonged to the genus 

 Strachia. 



It is easily distinguished by its form and its bright colors, although 

 the latter vary considerably, especially in different latitudes. Those 

 which have appeared in this section this season may be briefly des- 

 cribed thus : 



Of an oblong-oval shape ; length two- fifths of an inch ; width about 

 one-fourth of an inch. Colors black and orange, arranged usually as 

 follows : head black, with two short yellow stripes on the 

 face : thorax, with the lateral margins narrowly and hind mar- 

 gin broadly, a middle line, and an abbreviated line each side of the 

 middle, yellow ; the corneous portion of each elytron yellowish, with 

 two oblique black bands, the membranous tips black ; the scutel, 

 which is large, extending beyond the middle of the abdomen, is 

 black, with a middle yellow spot, often in the shape of a cross, and a 

 little dot near each shoulder. The young (larvae) have the head and 

 thorax black ; the abdomen has a yellow line each side, and numerous 

 transverse lines alternately black and yellow, or whitish. These 

 colors vary considerably ; the thorax being sometimes mostly black, 

 and the black of the elytra occupying much of the } r ellow area; the 

 black is sometimes changed to blue-black, or even steel blue ; the light 

 portions vary from yellowish white to deep orange red. 



I make a note of this species because it appeared this season in 

 Jackson county, in the southern part of the State, and I desire to 

 warn our farmers and gardeners to be on their guard, and advise them 

 to crush it out at its very first appearance. 



It is in fact a southern species which has been gradually making its 

 way north since the close of the late war. Texas appears to be the 

 place of its greatest development, or at least the point where it assumes 

 its typical characteristics, and where it probably finds its normal 

 latitude. It extends as far south as Guatamala, but was not found as 

 far north as Missouri until 1870; now it occurs in Kansas, Central 

 Missouri, and at least as far north in Illinois as Jackson county, and 

 perhaps as the latitude of St. Louis. Mr. Uhler states that it entered 

 Maryland since the war, and that now it is found as far north as Dela- 

 ware. 



