No. 34-] HEMIPTERA OF CONNECTICUT. II 



The Hemiptera, or Heteroptera, include a number of families 

 like the Tingidae or "lace bugs," Miridae or "leaf bugs," Lygaei- 

 dae, Coreidae and Neididae, the members of which feed upon 

 plant tissues, and certain species are well-known and important 

 pests. Other families like the Reduviidae or "assassin bugs," 

 Phymatidae or "ambush bugs," Nabidae or "damsel bugs," 

 Veliidae or "water striders," Belostomatidae or "giant water 

 bugs," Corixidae, "water boatmen," Notonectidae, "back swim- 

 mers," and it is believed the Aradidae or "flat bugs," are predatory 

 on insects and other small animals. The Cimicidae or "bed bugs," 

 attack warm blood animals. Other families like the Pentatomidae 

 or "stink bugs," contain certain species which are plant feeders, 

 while others are predatory upon insects. 



Though the insects of most of the families are terrestrial, 

 the species of Veliidae, Nepidae, Saldidae, Nerthridae, Belosto- 

 matidae, Corixidae and Notonectidae are aquatic. 



In general the plant-feeding species, as well as those attacking 

 the higher animals, are regarded as injurious, while the predatory 

 species are called beneficial because they attack and destroy many 

 individuals of noxious species. But they are perhaps just as apt 

 to devour harmless or even beneficial species, should such be at 

 hand. From certain species of Coccidae in the Orient is obtained 

 the lac of commerce, and certain other species of the same family 

 formerly supplied the brilliant red dye, cochineal. Thus the 

 Hemiptera as a whole contains many species which are considered 

 injurious, and some beneficial ones : few or none are parasitic 

 on other insects, though many are predatory. 



The numbers of individuals in the Hemiptera are greatly 

 reduced, and in fact the species often held in check, by parasites 

 and natural enemies. Hymenopterous, Dipterous and even Lepi- 

 dopterous insects are known to parasitize the Hemiptera. The 

 larvae of Coleoptera, especially Coccinellidae or lady beetles, 

 devour vast quanties of aphids and scale insects. The larvae of 

 Syrphid flies (Diptera) and lace-wing flies (Neuroptera) also 

 feed upon aphids. 



Some 20,000 species of Hemiptera have been described over 

 the whole world ; there are about 5,000 species in North America 

 and over 870 species are known to occur in Connecticut. In 

 number of species, the order is exceeded, at least in Connecticut, 

 only by the Coleoptera (beetles), Lepidoptera (butterflies and 

 moths), Hymenoptera (ants, bees and wasps), and possibly by 

 the Diptera (flies). 



The sequence of the families in this work follows in reverse 

 order that of Van Duzee's Catalogue of Hemiptera, 19 17, which 

 so far is the most complete arrangement of the order in this 

 country. Though there are various opinions in regard to special 

 groups, it has seemed best to the Editor to follow this, the most 

 available and authoritative arrangement, leaving it to specialists 

 to settle elsewhere any controverted points. 



