496 



THE BBK-KEBPBK S GUIDB ; 



noticed how well prepared it is for this work by its jaw-like 

 anterior legs, and its sharp, strong, sword-like beak. 



It is often caught on the golden-rod. This plant, from its 

 color, tends to conceal the bug, and from the character of the 

 plant — being attractive as a honey-plant to bees — the slow bug 

 is enabled to catch the spry and active honey-bee. 



As Prof . Uhler well says of the "stinging bug ": " It is 

 very useful in destroying caterpillars and other vegetable- 

 feeding insects, but is not very discriminating in its tastes, ancl 

 would as soon seize the useful honey-bee as the pernicious saw- 

 iiy." And he might have added that it is equally indifferent 



Fig. 284. 



nr? 



Bee-Stdbhfr^ and Beak, — OrigiruiL 



to the virtues of our friendly insects, like the parasitic and 

 predaceous species. 



We note, then, that this bug is not wholly evil, and as its 

 destruction would be well-nigh impossible, for it is as widely 

 scattered as are the flowers in which it lurks, we may well rest 

 its case, at least until its destructiveness becomes more serious 

 than at present. 



THB BEE-STABBER. 



In the Southern States there is another bug, Euthyrhyn- 

 chus floridanus, L,inn. (Fig. 284), which I have named the 

 bee-stabber. This bug places itself at the entrance of the 

 hive and stabs and sucks the bees till they are bloodless. As 

 will be seen, its powerful four-jointed beak fits it well for this 

 purpose. This bug is purplish or greenish blue, with dull, 



