4-H CLUB INSECT MANUAL 17 
Plant bugs.—Certain other members of the order Hemiptera that 
rather closely resemble the true stinkbug, except that they 
usually are smaller and a little more elon- 
gated, are the plant bugs. These insects 
have incomplete life changes. They have 
sucking mouth parts and four wings. ‘The 
adult can fly readily, and both the adults 
and nymphs crawl. This group feeds on 
the leaves and small stems of weeds and on 
many crops. Plant bugs spend the winter 
as adults beneath rubbish. Most of them 
are pests and are controlled by cultural 
practices. However, some can be killed by 
contact sprays. The common tarnished 
plant bug (Lygus pratensis) shown here is 
brownish yellow in color, marked with black, 
and is about three-sixteenths of an inch 
long. 
Chinch bug.—In the grain belt, when the chinch bug is mentioned, 
farmers’ thoughts at once go to the bug that destroys their grain crops. 
There are several species of chinch bug, but the 
most destructive one is Blissus leucopterus. 
This hemipteron has incomplete life changes. 
It is about three-sixteenths of an inch long. 
The adults have four white wings and are 
black with silvery-gray hairs. The nymphs 
are reddish in color. They suck the juices 
from stems of grain, and, although small, quite 
often build up such enormous numbers that 
they cause complete destruction of large por- 
tions of grainfields. They overwinter prefer- 
ably in bunch grass and other grasses, but will 
survive under leaves on the ground in wood- 
ae land, under loose bark of trees, and in similar 
Ficurn 38.—Chinch bug. protected places. Control measures are me- 
chanical barriers, cultural practices, and the 
planting of less favored hosts. 
Bedbug.—A nother one of the Hemiptera which is a notorious pest 
is the bedbug (Cimewx lectularius). This insect has incomplete life 
changes. In the adult stage it is about three-sixteenths 
of an inch long. It is reddish brown, has sucking 
mouth parts, and is wingless. This means that its only 
mode of travel is to crawl or be carried by man or moy- 
ing objects. The bedbug feeds on man, chickens, and 
many other warm-blooded animals. In the South or in 
well-heated homes in the North these bugs continue to 
feed throughout the winter. All stages of the insect 
may be found the year round. These insects are pests 
and can be controlled by applying sanitary measures. 
Under certain conditions fumigation would be preferred. 
FIGURE 37.—Plant bug. 
FIGURE 39.—Bed- 
bug 
ug. 
HOMOPTERA (BUGS) 
The order Homoptera consists of a group of insects closely related 
to the Hemiptera. In fact some entomologists consider them a sub- 
order of the Hemiptera. 
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