42 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Evidences of injury. Irregular blasted clusters (plate i6) and 

 minute, black spots on the affected fruit are the most apparent 

 signs of injury. This damage may be so general as to include entire 

 clusters, portions of clusters or limited to berries here and there on 

 the bunches. The owner estimated that half the crop was lost in 

 one vineyard. The injury is caused by a young, greenish brown and 

 white-marked bug (easily recognized by the white-banded antennae 

 and legs), about one-sixth of an inch long, the adult, appearing 

 later, being one-fourth of an inch long, brownish gray in color and 

 somewhat resembling the very common tarnished plant bug. The 

 two insects are related and appear to have somewhat similar habits. 



Early history and depredations. Very little is known concerning 

 this insect. It was described in 1831 by Thomas Say, with no more 

 precise indication of its habitat than " United States." It has been 

 taken by Mr E. P. Van Duzee during June and July about Buffalo. 

 The late Dr J. B. Smith records it from Staten Island and several 

 New Jersey localities. 



The following observations by Mr Strickland give an idea of its 

 potentialities. In one instance he noticed a good thrifty vine with 

 fifty-two clusters formed, all of which had been destroyed by the 

 bug. The tabulation given below shows in more detail, conditions 

 which may obtain in fields infested by this pest. 



Injury by banded grape bug 



NUMBER OF BUNCHES NUMBER OF GRAPES NUMBER OF GRAPES 



COUNTED DESTROYED MATURING 



I •• 13 44 



I 36 39 



I . 40 38 



I 36 41 



I 24 91 



I 51 90 



I 54 14 



2 All None 



1 46 94 



The above data, omitting the two bunches which were entirely 

 destroyed, shows that nearly 40 per cent of the fruit on the clusters 

 counted had been ruined. Mr Strickland believes this bug to be 

 causing serious damage to Campell's Early grapes throughout the 

 region. The work of this species was observed in the vineyards of 

 Messrs S. C. Treichler, Sanborn and F. L. Young, Lockport, the 

 insect having apparently become established in the latter vineyard. 



