286 MAINE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. I916. 



The next in size, the third instar ( ?) show extension of 

 mesothorax into the beginning of wingpads, but no perceptible 

 pads on the metathorax. The dark color extends on to the 

 first, second, and middle of the third abdominal segments, but 

 is uniformly dusky on pro- meso- and metathorax. 



No distinct separation of fourth and fifth instars has been 

 made, but individuals referred to these differ in having less 

 solid dark marking on the thorax and more extension of color 

 on the abdomen. The wing pads are much more developed, 

 and in the more mature forms extend on to the base of the 

 abdomen. These mature forms, which are about three and a 

 half millimeters in length, give rise to the adults, the appear- 

 ance of adults coming the latter part of July. 



Putting the various records together, it appears that the eggs 

 remain over winter, the nymphs appear in late June, mature 

 by the latter part of July and the adults presumably lay eggs 

 during the latter part of the summer. There seems very little 

 probability of a second brood in the latitude of Orono. 



While these insects sometimes occur in considerable abund- 

 ance and their food plants are often utilized as ornamental 

 shrubs there is little danger of their becoming so serious a 

 pest as to require any particular treatment. Indeed so far as 

 observations go they seem pretty generally confined to the 

 bushes, growing in their natural habitats and have not been 

 taken upon bushes growing under cultivation. 



Clastoptera xanthocephala Germ. 



This small species while more southern in distribution occurs 

 in some parts of New England, and may at times be found 

 in Maine. It is a very small species, about three mm. long, and 

 black or dark brown, resembling the black varieties of proteus, 

 but differing in having slender lines across the upper part of 

 the face and the lower part including the clypeus is black. 



According to Mr. Heidemann it has been found during the 

 nymphal stages on Chrysanthemums, although he surmises that 

 the original food plant may have been Ragweed. In either 

 case it can hardly be counted as of any particular economic 

 importance in Maine. 



