248 Forty-second Report on the State Museum. [106J 



middle with a distinct lobe on each side ; antennae black, nearly as long 

 or longer than the body; knees, tarsi (feet), and tips of the tibiae 

 (shanks), black. The honey-tubes are shining brown, long, and 

 thickened at the base.* The tail large, yellow and recur vel. The 

 winged females, according to Buckton, are generally pale brown 

 or rust-yellow; thorax brown; abdomen ovate, broad and shining 

 green; honey- tubes black; antennae longer than the body; frontal 

 tubercles not large; legs ochreous, with black knees and feet; tail 

 yellow, ensiform, and hairy. 



Dr. Fitch has presented a detailed description of the winged form, 

 which should be consulted. It differs in some particulars from the 

 above, as, for example : The thorax is pale yellow, shining, with a large 

 egg-shaped black or brown spot on each side; abdomen broad oval, 

 grass-green, with a row of three blackish dots on each side; antennae 

 about equaling the body in length; legs with pale-greenish thighs, 

 becoming yellowish toward their middle, and with dull yellow and 

 black-tipped shanks. 



The winged female was observed by Dr. Fitch to be less prolific 

 than the wingless. Inclosed in separate vials, the former uniformly 

 gave birth to two young in a single night, while the latter produced 

 four in the same time. The winged ones were also much slower in 

 coming to maturity. 



Method of Attack. 



As in other Aphides, its injuries are inflicted by means of its beak 

 or proboscis, which it inserts in the plant for sucking the juices. This 

 beak, which is folded under the breast when not in use, is pale green, 

 black-tipped, and is given out from between the base of the forelegs 

 and reaches half-way to the middle legs. The insect may be first 

 observed early in the season, during the month of May, feeding upon 

 the stalks and leaves, usually on the under side of the blades. As 

 soon as the heads of the grain make their appearance — ordinarily in 

 the latter part of June in New York — deserting every other portion 

 of the plant, all the individuals congregate thereon about the base of 

 the forming kernels, each with its head downward, sometimes crowd- 

 ing together in clusters that nearly cover the head. A remarkable 

 change, according to Dr. Fitch, now takes place in their color; while 

 feeding on the coarser juices of the leaves and stalks they are all of 

 a grass-green hue, but as soon as they change to the more delicate 

 juices of the flowers they begin to assume an orange color. After 

 awhile the orange in most of them inclines either to red or to yellow. 



*Mr. Glover records a statement made to him, that although these honey-tubes are 

 well developed, they emit no honey, and in consequence are not visited by ants. 



