2O4 AN INTRODUCTION TO ENTOMOLOGY. 



wing-covers have a distinct clavus, with a well-marked claval suture ; 

 the clavus is furnished with one, and the corium with three longi- 

 tudinal veins which are much stronger than the network of veins 

 between them. In long-winged specimens the tip of the membrane 

 lacks the network of veins and appears like the membrane in other 

 families. As yet but a single American species has been described. 

 The Ash-gray Leal-bug, Piesma cinerea. This measures about 

 3 mm. (0.12 in.) in length, and is of an ash-gray color. The prothorax 

 is deeply pitted, so that it presents the same appearance as the base 

 of the wing-covers. The head is deeply bifid at tip, and there is a 

 short robust spine between the eye and antenna of each side. This 

 species sometimes infests vineyards to an injurious extent, destroy- 

 ing the flower-buds in early spring. 



Family XXVII. AcANTHIIM).* 



The Acanthiidae comprises two closely allied groups, which have 

 been considered as distinct families, but are now ranked as sub- 

 families. These are the Acanthimce and ti\zAnthocorin<%. As these 

 have been separated in the table of families, I will at once proceed to 

 the discussion of them. 



Sub-Family. I. ACANTHIIN.E. 

 (Bed-bugs?) 



The Acanthiince is represented in this country by a single species, 

 the Bed-bug, Acdnthia lectuldria. This species is a well-known pest 

 over the greater part of the world. It is reddish-brown in color, and 

 measures in length when full grown from 4 to 5 mm. (0.16 to .018 in.). 

 It presents the following characters, which are those of the sub-family 

 Acanthiinae: The body is ovate in outline and is very flat (Fig. 

 173). It is wingless or with very short and rudimen- 

 tary wing-covers. The labrum is triangular. There 

 are no ocelli. The rostrum consists of three seg- 

 ments ; the antennae, of four ; and the tarsi, of 

 three. 



The bed-bug is a nocturnal insect, hiding by day 

 in the cracks of furniture and beneath various 

 objects. Ordinarily it is found only in the dwellings of man. 

 But it has been known, to infest chicken-coops and pigeon- 



* Acanthiidae, Acanthia : acdntha (aKCLv^a), a thorn. 



