76 Indian Museum Notes. [ Vol. VI. 



III.— Insect Pests of Vegetables. 



Insect infesting CUCUMBER and PUMPKINS. 



1 . Asp ong opus janus, Fabr. 



Order, Hemiptera, Family, Pentatomidce. 

 (Plate IV, fig. 3, Z a.) 



This insect is one of the true bugs. The head is a deep black, the 

 portion behind being red and black. The triangular-shaped portion 

 at junction of upper wings (the scutellum) is black anteriorly, being 

 rufous only at apex. Upper wings red; lower ones black: body 

 black with an elevated margin which is red. Feet are black. Length 

 I inch. Plate IV, fig. 3, 3<z show a dorsal and side view of this bug. 



This insect was sent in August 1902 from Chanda in the Central 

 Provinces. It was reported by Mr. A. E. Lowrie, Deputy Conser- 

 vator of Forests, to have appeared in his garden in swarms and 

 to have attacked cucumber and pumpkin stems, committing a great 

 deal of damage. 



The insect commits the damage by sucking out the sap from the 

 plants it attacks. 



Remedy.- — Spraying with kerosene emulsion should kill off the 

 insects, or cause them to leave the plants. Hand-picking should be 

 resorted to in vegetable gardens, as the larger the number of insects 

 destroyed the smaller will be the number of eggs deposited on the 

 area, and consequently the fewer the number of insects appearing at 

 the next generation. 



Points in the life-history requiring further observation. 



1. Period the insect takes to arrive at maturity {i.e., develop 



its functional wings) from the date of egg-hatching. 



2. Period spent in feeding and egg-laying by adult insect, 



3. When the eggs are laid. 



4. Number of generations in the year passed through by the 



bug. 



5. The different food plants of the insect. 



Insect infesting CORNFLOUR plants (Centaurea). 

 2. Dorylus orientalis, Westw. 



Order, Hymnoptera, Family, Formicidce. 

 (Plate IV, figs. 4, 4«.) 

 I. M. N.— Previous references — IV, 4, 198; V, 39, 42, 44, 65, 



77-79. 



This curious ant which, alone in its own sub-family, seems to 

 attack plants has often previously been reported in this connection. 



