556 



The Rhododendron Bug. 



[Sept., 



freckling " on the upper surface {see Fig. 1). The bugs 

 themselves Hve on the undersides of the leaves from which they 

 suck the sap through minute punctures, each wound showing 

 subsequently as a brown spot or scar. A brown gummy secretion 

 is also often present owing to " bleeding " from the puncture 

 holes. In mild cases the effect of the injury is to make the 

 plant " unthrifty," the leaves being obviously unhealthy. In 

 more severe cases the whole plant appears to wilt, and vvdiere 

 the attack is combined with unfavourable weather conditions— 

 as, for instance, a prolonged drought— death may occur. 



Description and Life-nistory. — The appearance of the adult 

 bug is shown by Fig. 2. The general colour is greyish- white, 

 while the spaces between the veins on the wings are shining and 

 transparent like glass. The body is black and for the most part 

 hidden by the wings, which form a complete shield over the 



back " and are probably not often used for flying. The bugs 

 themselves are full-grown during July and may then be found 

 living on the undersides of the rhododendron leaves. So sluggish 

 are they that the leaves may be picked without causing them 

 to move much or even attempt to fly. 



After pairing the female lays her eggs within but at the side 

 of the midrib of the leaf — also, though rarely, within the sub- 

 stance of the leaf itself. Several eggs are usually placed together, 

 more or less in a line, but little can be seen of them, as they are 

 almost wholly embedded in the rib, their position being marked 

 by a scab of gummy secretion. The shape of the egg is shown 

 by Fig. 3 and it will be noticed that only the tip of the egg 

 reaches the surface. If the scab above mentioned be raised this 

 tip can be seen as a minute ring — the " door " through which 

 in due time the young bug will emerge. The bugs die by the 

 end of the summer and the eggs remain through the winter and 

 hatch early the following summer (perhaps late spring). 



The young bug, when newly hatched, is a minute, rather 

 spiny, black and grey insect, without wings, and about the size 

 of a pin's head. As has been previously stated, it feeds by 

 piercing the underside of the leaf with its " trunk " (proboscis) 

 and by sucking up the sap. As it gTOws larger it moults and 

 resembles Fig. 4, and after two further stages in which the 

 developing wings can be seen, it casts its skin for the last time 

 and becomes the fully winged adult bug. 



At all stages the bugs are rather sluggish and tend to remain 

 where they were hatched ; in consequence the leaves of the pre- 

 vious seasons show the most damage. When the infestation is 



