CATALOGUE OF INSECTS. 



137 



Family REDUVIIDJE. 





Called the " Pirate bugs " or "Assassin bugs ". from their predatory habits. 

 They have long legs, the anterior often enlarged for grasping, a long, very 

 narrow head with small though prominent eyes and a short, very stout curved 

 beak, which is rigid and cannot be folded back against the head. These char- 

 acteristics and especially those of head 

 and beak render this family an easily 

 recognizable one. Their predatory habit 

 renders them decidedly useful and, from 

 the fact that quite a number of them 

 have become adapted to life in cities, 

 they are of essential service in keeping 

 down shade-tree pests. 



Most of them resent being handled 

 and will, if they get the chance, puncture 

 the hand or, if they happen to alight on 

 an exposed surface and are disturbed, 

 they may "bite" on general principles. 

 The bite is severe and poisonous, often 

 causing intense pain and more or less 

 swelling which may persist for a long 

 time, while local effects may be notice- 

 able for months. 



During the summer of 1899 numerous cases of bites from "kissing bugs" 

 were reported in the newspapers, a few of which had an undoubted basis of 

 fact. One species, not yet taken in New Jersey, is common in the Southern 

 States, where its popular name, "the big bed-bug," sufficiently explains its 

 habits. Another species that lives in bouses has the more satisfactory habit of 

 feeding upon flies, mcths'and bed-bugs; but this is rarely seen, because of its 

 habit of covering itself with dust and odd fibres so that it looks like the little 

 masses of dust that will escape the broom in corners and along the wall. 



SINEA Am. et Serv. 



S. diadema Fabr. Madison (Pr), Westville, VI, 19, Glassboro, VII, 22 (Jn), 

 Merchantville, V, 29 (Ss), Staten Island, VIII (Ds), New Brunswick, all 

 summer, feeding on the larvae of the elm-leaf beetle and other shade-tree 

 pests. 



ACHOLLA Stal. 



Fig. 62. 



-Head and mouth parts of a Redu- 

 viid ; enlarged. 



A. multispinosa DeG. Madison (Pr), Riverton, IX, 5 t Jn 

 VIII (Ds), Atlantic County, VI, 24, Middlesex, VII, 7. 



Staten Island, 



PRIONIDUS Uhl. 



cristatus Linn. The "wheel-bug," Princeton, frequent (Pr), and occurs 

 throughout South Jersey not uncommonly, more rarely to the north : the 

 egg masses are frequently found on fruit trees, especially peach, and the 

 bugs feed on all sorts of soft larvae. 



