44 PLANT-BUGS INJURIOUS TO COTTON BOLLS. 



Number of eggs per hatch. — The conchuela, in common with other 

 members of the family Pentatomidae, deposits eggs with considerable 

 Regularity in parallel rows, each egg except those in the outside rows 

 being in contact with 6 others. The frequency with which eggs are 

 deposited in multiples of 14 is strongly marked. A total number of 

 172 egg-batches of this species was deposited in the laboratory during 

 these investigations. The total number of eggs in these batches was 

 4,900, or 28.4 eggs per batch. The number of eggs most frequently 

 noted in single batches was 28, and the number ranking next in 

 frequency was 42. The maximum number of eggs deposited in a 

 single batch was 79. 



Rate of deposition of individual eggs. — The intervals between the 

 deposition of individual eggs in a batch, with midsummer tempera- 

 ture, varies from one minute to one and three-quarters minutes 

 according to records made in the case of 2 females under observation 

 while depositing eggs. The first of these specimens deposited 13 

 eggs in twenty minutes, 4 of which were deposited with one-and-one- 

 half -minute intervals. The second specimen deposited 15 eggs in as 

 many minutes. 



FEEDING. 



Part of plants preferred. — The conchuela shows a marked preference 

 for the juices of the seeds and fruits of its food plants. In a report 

 of preliminary investigations of this insect the writer recorded an 

 observation regarding this preference. As no specific observation on 

 this point has been made, it may be repeated that of 57 adults feeding 

 on cotton plants, 43 were on bolls, 4 on leaves, and 10 on stems. The 

 proportion feeding on bolls in this observation is less than ordinarily, as 

 is incidentally shown by data given in another paragraph relating to 

 proportion of time adults spent in feeding. The immature seed are 

 the objective point of the insect's attack, as has been stated in de- 

 scribing the nature of the plant-bug injury. Rapidly growing bolls 

 of medium size are preferred to large, nearly mature bolls, the lint of 

 which offers serious resistance to the entrance of the threadlike mouth 

 setae. In connection with this preference bolls on the lower branches 

 of the cotton plant are less subject to attack than are those growing 

 on branches higher up. 



Conspicuous position when feeding. — The conchuela is by far the 

 most conspicuous of the Pentatomids destructive to cotton bolls 

 which are discussed in this bulletin. This is as much so on account 

 of its selection of a feeding place as on account of its size and striking 

 color. This characteristic is an important factor under some condi- 

 tions in the control of the pest in cotton fields, as will be explained in 

 discussing remedial measures. The author's outline of field work 

 necessitated the examination of many thousand cotton plants for the 

 purpose of counting the insects which were found on them. From 



