2 BULLETIN" 239, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



usually the female also will be observed either in close proximity 

 feeding or in the act of ovipositing. Upon the emergence of the 

 nymphs from the eggs the discoloration of the leaves increases in area 

 until finally the entire leaf is involved, turning yellow and dry. 



The nymphs migrate from one leaf to another, injuring every leaf 

 attacked, until they transform, after which, as adults, they disperse 

 to other plants. Not every plant in a field will be injured, but once 

 a plant becomes infested every leaf may be so injured as to result in 

 the loss of the plant. 



The truckers in the vicinity of Norfolk, Va., usually raise eggplant 

 in fields of from 6 to 10 acres. During the summer of 1914 many 

 such fields Avere carefully examined, and the injury was estimated at 

 from 10 to 15 per cent of the entire acreage. The uninformed trucker 

 does not as yet recognize this insect as a specialized eggplant pest, 

 since the injury closely resembles that due to aphides. As the plant- 

 lice are feeding on the eggplant at about the same time, the lace-bug 

 injury is usually attributed to them. The injury to eggplant by this 

 tingitid is entirely well defined and individual in character, and no 

 one who has carefully observed the damage would ever confuse it 

 with that due to the work of aphides. 



DESCRIPTION OF STAGES. 



THE ADULT. 



This interesting lace-bug belongs to the heteropterous family Tin- 

 gitidse, which contains a number of injurious forms affecting certain 

 of our native trees and shrubs. Although many species are found 

 in some tropical countries, those occurring in the United States are 

 comparatively few in number. 



The eggplant lace-bug is one of the larger species of the United 

 States and differs considerably in appearance from the others by rea- 

 son of its prominent lacelike hood extending back of the head and the 

 lacelike venation of the wings. The adult (PL I, fig. 2) is depressed 

 or flat bodied, grayish to light brown, about 4 millimeters (^ of an 

 inch) in size, and derives its popular name from the delicate lacelike 

 structure of the wing covers. 



Following is a technical description of the adult by Mr. Otto 

 Heidemann: 1 



Body rather flat; dark brown; angulated; yellow rim of the rostral groove very dis- 

 tinct at base of metasternum. Head dark, deeply punctured; al frontal part three 

 small slender spines, the upper one more prominent; two others near to the eyes a 

 Little longer. Antennae quite long, hairy; basal joint comparatively thick, black, 

 and somewhat longer than the terminal joint, which is fusciform and blaek at the 

 apex; second joint the shortest, testaceous; third more than four times as long as the 

 fourth joint, yellowish white; buccula? moderately expanded, yellowish, with one 

 row of minute areoles. 



1 Heidemann, OUo. A new species of North A.mericai> Tingitidse. In Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash . v. 16, 

 no. 3, p. 136-137, 1 fig., Sepl . 26, L914. 



