THE HEMIPTERA-HETEROPTERA OF GUERNSEY. 



BY MR. W. A. LUFF. 



The order of insects comprising the Hemvptera vary very 

 considerably in structure and appearance and are classed in 

 two sub-orders or sections. 



The first of these, containing the insects named in my 

 list, is called Hemiptera-Heteroptera ; the second is the 

 Hemiptera-Homoptera and includes the Cicadas, frog-hoppers, 

 grass-flies, aphides or plant-lice, and scale-insects. 



The Hemiptera-Heteroptera are distinguished from the 

 Coleoptera or beetles, to which they bear a superficial 

 resemblance, by their mouth organs, which consist of a long 

 tube containing several lancets, for piercing the plants and 

 animals, on the juices of which they feed. This tube is tucked 

 away under the head and breast when not in use. Their fore- 

 wings have the upper part coriaceous or horny and the lower 

 portion membranous and more or less transparent, and crossed 

 over each other at the apex. The hindwings which are folded 

 up underneath the forewings are membranous. 



These insects do not undergo a complete metamorphosis 

 like the Coleoptera and Lepidoptera but have a similar 

 appearance and are active in all the stages of their existence, 

 except that when they reach the final or imago state they 

 usually acquire wings. Some few species, however, of which 

 the bed-bug is an example, are wingless. 



The Heteroptera are readily divided into two sections. 

 The first section, named Gymnocerata includes the land-bugs 

 and the Hydrometrina, or those which run on the surface of 

 the water. 



The Geodromica, or land-bugs, are nearly all plant feeders, 

 and many species are. of remarkable beauty ; indeed, some of 

 the exotic species cannot be surpassed for splendour of colour- 

 ing. Our Guernsey species occur most numerously on the 

 southern cliff coast, and include several fine species which are 

 not known at all in England, whilst others are very rare there. 



