96 



order, and general appearauce were mistaken for the chinch-bug (Micro- 

 pus leucopterus) by many of the residents. This mistaken identity in 

 the case of these insects was the occasion for much appreheusion, as it 

 well might have been had that insect put in its appearance in such 

 great numbers so early in the year. These " false chinch-bugs," for 

 such they were, began work by attacking the weeds and everything 

 else that was green growing in the fields which were infested. The 

 weeds soon disappeared and the insects transferred their attention 

 to apple, catalpa, mulberry, and other small trees. But by far the great- 

 est injury was done to grape-vines. They were all small, and were kept 

 divested,, of every vestige of new growth for a time, and looked as if 

 the vines never would be green. 



The three insects which united in these demonstrations were the fol- 

 lowing: the False Chinch-bug {N~ysius angustatus), the Purslane bug 

 (Geocoris bidlata), and a species that is quite common here in the West 

 among various rank-growing herbs and weed-like plants, and is known 

 to the entomologist as Trapezonotus nebiilosus. 



The first named of these was by far the most numerous, and if work- 

 ing singly would have occasioned nearly the same amount of damage 

 as did the three. The second and the last named were present in 

 nearly equal numbers, perhaps the last being the commoner of the two. 

 All three species gathered upon the main stems and larger branches of 

 the trees and even in clusters upon the scattered remnants of the last 

 year's vegetation, They were pretty well scattered 'over the fields, but 

 appeared to be most numerous upon some hill-slopes where they had 

 been attracted during early spring and late fall by the warm sunshine. 

 These clusters of bugs were composed of individuals of all ages and 

 sizes, ranging from those apparently but a few days old to those fully 

 matured and winged. An investigation soon disclosed the reason for 

 their abundance in this particular locality. Last year these fields had 

 been permitted to grow up in weeds after the spring cultivation. These 

 weeds, purslane, tickle-grass, stink-grass, and tumble-weeds, made a 

 splendid retreat for the bugs to gather, feed, and breed in, and afterwards 

 to winter in. The present spring being dry weeds and grasses were slow 

 in starting. Not so with the bugs. Eggs were laid at the usual time, 

 these hatched and the little bugs soon exhausted what green vegeta- 

 tion there was for them to feed upon, and which was very slow in ap- 

 pearing on account of lack of the necessary amount of moisture. The 

 trees and vines being deeper rooted sent out their buds and green leaves. 

 These attracted the hungry hordes of bugs, and were at once attacked 

 in bud, leaf, and stem, the bugs inserting their beaks and extracting 

 the sap. The consequence was the injury spoken of above. 



As a remedy against the destruction of the grape-vines I suggested 

 covering the vines, which were small ones, with dirt for a week or ten 

 days until weeds had an opportunity to grow, after which time there 

 would no longer be danger, and as a preventive for the future to keep 

 down the weeds in late summer, especially when the season is adr^ one. 



