16 MISC. PUBLICATION 318, U. 8S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 
the harlequin bug (Murgantia histrionica). This in- 
sect is about three-eighths of an inch long and is black 
with large orange, red, and yellow markings. It is 
a sucking insect, and has four wings. The adults fly, 
and both adults and young crawl readily. The adults 
and the full-grown nymphs are active throughout the 
winter when the days are warm. On cold days, or in 
the northern limits of their distribution, the harlequin 
bug hides in and among old cabbage plants, weeds, and 
Eicure 33 other debris. It is rather a severe pest, but can be 
arlequin bug. : 5 E 
partially controlled by field sanitation, trap crops, cul- 
tural practices, and sprays such as strong nicotine-soap solution or 
rotenone extracts. 
Water bug.—Occasionally around electric lights 
one finds a grayish-brown bug about 2 inches long. 
This insect is often called the giant water bug or 
electric-light bug. The specific name is Lethocerus 
americanus. It has four wings; flies; overwinters 
as a nymph or adult in trash, mud, or pools of 
water; has incomplete life changes, and may be 
considered a pest when it at- 
tacks fish, snails, etc., in 
ponds and aquariums. The 
larvae of this insect are 
water loving and feed on va- 
rious forms of water life. 
This insect belongs to the 
order Hemiptera. 
Masked Hunter.—Another of the true bugs 
is the masked hunter (Reduvius personatus). 
It is from one-half to three-fourths of an inch 
long and is black, has sucking mouth parts, 
| » four wings, and can fly. This insect is bene- 
: ficial because it feeds on various household and 
———eE—EE = cereal insects. It overwinters as amymphior 
HiguER 36-—Masked hunter: “adult under trash and the like. @he site 
changes are incomplete. This insect belongs to the order Hemiptera. 
Squash bugs.—Practically every grower of 
squash has seen a rather large, elongated, dark- 
eray insect, and oftentimes clusters of small 
lighter gray spiderlike pests feeding on his 
squash. These insects, like all other insects of the 
order Hemiptera, have incomplete life changes 
and sucking mouth parts. The adult insect is 
about one-half an inch long. The adults of this 
group have four wings and fly readily when dis- 
turbed. Both the adults and the nymphs feed on 
the leaves, fruits, and vines of squash and related 
plants. The adult insects overwinter beneath 
rubbish and loose bark of logs. Because of their 
injury to squash, they are considered pests. They 
may be partially controlled by use of contact 
sprays and cultural practices. The common 
squash bug shown here is Anasa tristis, FIGURE 36.—Squash bug. 
FIGURE 34.—Water bug. 
