HEMIPTERA 69 



TABLE FOR THE DETERMINATION OF COMMON FAMILIES OF 

 HEMIPTERA. 



A. Front wings thicker at the base than at the tip; beak at- 

 tached to the front of the head. True bugs. Sub-order. 

 Heteroptera. 



B. Antennae very short, usually concealed beneath the 

 head. 

 C. Legs oar-like, fitted for swimming. 



D. Back somewhat V-shaped, light in color. Back- 

 swimmers. Notonectidce. 

 DD. Back more flattened; color darker. 



E. Size usually larger than medium. One-half 

 inch to over two inches. Giant Water Bugs. 

 Belostomidce. 



EE. Length less than one-half inch. Water Boat- 

 men. Corisidce. 



CC. Legs not oar -like but very long and slender; ab- 

 domen fitted with a long breathing tube at the tip. 

 Water Scorpions. Nepidw. 

 BB. Antennae longer than head. 



C. Bodies very slender or linear. 

 D. All legs long and slender. 



E. Last joint of antennae enlarged. Stilt-bugs. 



Berytidce. 

 EE. Last joint of antennae slender. 



F. Length about one-half inch. About water. 



Marsh-treaders. Limnobatidce. 

 FF. Length one inch or more. Not aquatic. 

 Thread-legged bugs. Emesidce. 



DD. Front-legs not used for walking and shorter than the 

 others. Aquatic, found running on surface of water. 



Water-striders. Hydrobatidce. 

 CC. Bodies of broader shape, not linear. 

 D. Antennas four- jointed. 



E. Wing-covers lace-like, size small. 



Lace-bugs. Tingitidce. 



