The Sycamore Lace-Bug 13 



young of the sycamore lace-bug, but seemingly none to so great 

 an extent as to make them an important factor in the reduction 

 of the numbers of this pest. Among those which I have taken 

 while feeding on the nymphs were one immature Chrysopid, sev- 

 eral assassin bugs (Reduviidae), a few spiders, and a red mite 

 (unidentified). This mite is found attached to the head or body 

 and does not appear to be a common parasite on this host. 



Undoubtedly there are other forms, such as lady-bird beetles 

 (Coccincllidac) and ground beetles (Carabidae), which prey upon 

 them to a greater or less extent, but of these I have never ob- 

 served any in the actual act of feeding upon the young. Morrill 

 reports "The adult form a well known predaceous heteropteran 

 Triphleps insidionsus, Say has been found feeding on the young 

 of C. ciliata". 



Insecticidal Measures 



Since this species is a hemipteron with the characteristic pierc- 

 ing suctorial mouth parts, it is at once apparent that an effective 

 insecticide would have to be a contact spray. Experiments were 

 conducted during July and August (1916) at Oklahoma City in 

 the Oklahoma City Xursey and in Belle Isle Park. 



The first difficulty encountered was to apply the sprays so that 

 all adults would be reached, as at the first disturbance caused by 

 the spray striking the leaves, they would dart about in all direc- 

 tions, making it rather difficult to reach every one of them. Then 

 while it is comparatively easy to kill the immature forms, it is 

 quite difficult to accomplish this with the adults without getting a 

 solution strong enough to injure the leaves or make it prohibitive 

 in price. 



Due to the unique and characteristic lace or gauze-like struc- 

 ture of the wings and thorax, which covers the entire body ef- 

 fectively, anything but a caustic penetrating liquid will not reach 

 the spiracles or more vulnerable parts of the body. 



The following mixtures were used and with the results re- 

 corded below : 



Kerosene Emulsion 



Laundry soap or fish oil soap ^ pound 



Kerosene (coal oil) 2 gallons 



Water 1 gallon 



(Crude oil may be substituted for kerosene.) 



The soap is shaved into thin slices and added to the gallon of 

 boiling water and stirred until a good suds is obtained. It is then 

 removed from the fire and the kerosene is added and the mixture 

 is thoroughly emulsified until it makes a smooth, creamy liquid 

 with no free particles of oil floating on top. This stock solution 

 was diluted to a 10% strength of oil by adding 1 part stock solu- 



