316 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 



tween some or all of the three." Mr. P. R. Uhler, our best authority, 

 at that time considered it distinct, however, but has recently, in a let- 

 ter to Prof. S. A. Forbes (13th Rep, Ins. Ills., 1884, p. 105) justified our 

 earlier impression by concluding that destructor is a synonym of angus- 

 tat us. 



In the False Chinch-bug we have again a very general feeder and a 

 very injurious insect. We first learned of its injuries in May, 1S72, 

 when it was sent ms from Clarksville, Mo., as damaging grape vines. 

 We have since either found it or had it reported on strawberry-plants, 

 young apple-grafts, potatoes, turnips, radishes, beets, cabbages, lettuce, 

 purslane, and mustard. Professor Vorbes treats of it as a strawberry 

 enemy, but it seems to prefer cruciferous plants and to avoid the cereals. 

 As a cabbage insect it was particularly injurious at Manhattan, Kans., 

 in 1873, as we were informed by Mr. Thomas Wells, of that place. On 

 potatoes it is especially injurious. At some of the fall meetings (LS72) 

 of the Meramec (Missouri) Horticultural Society complaints were made 

 of a new habit which the Chinch-bug had of injuring potato- vines, and 

 of crowding on the tubers and injuring them after they were dug. The 

 False Chinch-bug was undoubtedly the insect observed. The popular 

 name of "False Chinch-bug" was adopted from the fact that we fre- 

 quently received this species from correspondents, who sent it under the 

 supposition that it was the true Chinch-bug. 



u In common with all other true bugs, this insect feeds by suction, 

 aud the way in which it injures a plant is by depriving the same of its 

 juices and causing it to wilt. Potato-leaves sent me by Mr. Stone 

 (of Kansas City, Mo.) piesented the appearance of Plate Y, Fig. 2, a, 

 showing little, rusty, circular specks where the beak had been inserted, 

 and little irregular hales, which looked more as if made by some flea- 

 beetle, one of which, the Cucumber Flea-beetle (Haltica cueumeris Harr.), 

 is known to thus injure potato-leaves." — (Fifth Rep. Ins. Mo., p. 112.) 



The young wingless bugs are of a paler color than the adults, with 

 more or less distinct longitudinal dark lines on the head and thorax. 

 The pupa (Plate Y, Fig. 2, b) has the front part of the body marked 

 with more distinct red and brown lines, with the abdomen paler, and 

 with longitudinal pinkish mottlings. When occurring in force these 

 bugs will crowd on a plant as long as there is room for them, and, 

 sucking its sap, soon cause it to wilt and die. They are active and 

 readily take alarm, the winged individuals arising in swarms when 

 disturbed. In early morning, however, they are more sluggish and 

 hide in wilted leaves. Wet weather, as with the true Chmeh-bug, is 

 extremely unfavorable to their development. 



The number of broods in the course of a year has not yet been deter- 

 mined, but, from analogy, there are probably two or three, and the insect 

 hibernates mainly in the perfect state under all sorts of rubbish. Late 

 iu the fall of 1872 we found them very abundant in all stages, collecting 

 under purslane, and they doubtless make frequent use of this spread- 

 ing and close fitting weed for winter quarters. Mr. Thomas Wells, of 

 Manhattan, Kans., thinks that the insect breeds ouly where the purs- 

 lane grows. The eggs have not yet been observed or described. 



REMEDIES. 



The best preventive of the injuries of this insect will be found to 

 consist in clean cultivation, which we have so strongly urged in the case 

 of the true Chinch-bug. W 7 e have shown that, like the latter, it winters 

 under all sorts of field rubbish, and the careful burning of old weeds 



