476 



THE ANIMALS OF THE EARTH 





to cover even large surfaces. Many communities regularly 

 pour oil upon stagnant waters in the spring just before mos- 

 quitoes begin to lay eggs, and thus protect 

 themselves against large hordes of the pests. 

 Many fish greedily devour wigglers, and a good 

 way to lessen the number of mosquitoes is to 

 keep all ponds and lakes and bodies of quiet 

 water well stocked with fish. 



Some insects destroy crops. Farmers and 

 nurserymen are troubled by innumerable in- 

 sects that destroy their crops and injure their 

 trees. Potato beetles, cabbage caterpillars, tree 

 borers, mealy bugs, cotton weevils, squash bugs, 

 brown-tail moths, gypsy and tussock moths do 

 immense damage (Fig. 344). 



The squash bug is so abundant that it can 

 be found almost everywhere in fields. It gets 

 its name from the fact that it lives preferably 

 upon squash and pumpkin vines and similar 

 plants. The adult squash bug has a strong, 

 sharp beak and with it easily pierces leaves and 

 shoots and obtains food by sucking up the plant 

 juices. In July the female squash bug deposits 

 eggs on the under side of leaves and from 

 these eggs young squash bugs or nymphs hatch 

 out which are like the parent except that they 

 are very small and have no wings. The young 

 squash bug has strong, sharp jaws and greedily 

 bites and chews the leaves around it and grows 



FIG. 344- A piece . . 



of wood destroyed rapidly, soon becoming too large tor its skin. 



Within a short time it molts its skin and appears 

 with small wings ; with each successive molt the nymph in- 

 creases in size and the wings become larger and stronger. 



