INSECTS AFFECTING PARK AND WOODLAND TREES 



607 



Soldier bugs : Podisus and Euschistus 



Podisus placidus Uhl. 

 This species ranges in length from 3, x to nearly ^2 

 inch and was present in small numbers on hard pine at 

 Karner in 1901, three specimens being taken June 13 and 

 two July 9. It has the angles of the prothorax slightly 

 developed, is yellowish in color, thickly mottled with reddish 

 or reddish brown and with the anterior and posterior angles FiR - 161 Podisus 



placidus, enlarged 



of the abdominal segments marked with small black spots. (original) 



Mr Kirkland states that in the nearly full grown young the head, 

 thorax and wing pads are an intense pitch black, the abdomen dark red, 

 margined with a series of black spots, one on each segment, and with four 

 black spots in a longicudinal row on the dorsum. 



This insect is an exceedingly valuable check on several injurious 

 species. The writer in May 1902 found five of these bugs within one tent 

 of the common appletree tent caterpillar (Malacosoma am eric ana 

 Fabr. ), and six or seven were observed on the outside of another. Several 

 bugs were seen with their beaks inserted in caterpillars, and in two or three 

 instances a caterpillar hung from the beak of its voracious enemy. Another 

 was observed in association with sawfly larvae (Lophyrus) on hard pine 

 and was probably preying on them, since it did not hesitate to do so in 

 confinement. Young of this plant bug were also taken at Karner in July 

 1902 feeding on the eggs of the senatorial oak caterpillar, Anisota 

 senatoria Abb. & Sm. In addition to the above, Mr Kirkland states 

 that this species has been recorded as destroying currant worms, 

 Ptero.nus ribesii Scop., spiny elm caterpillars, Euvanessa 

 antiopa Linn., fall webworms, Hyphantria text, or Harr., cater- 

 pillars of the white marked tussock moth, Heme roc am pa leu co- 

 stigma Abb. & Sm., H. definita Pack., and gipsy moth caterpillars, 

 Porthetria dispar Linn. 



He also states that over-wintering adults appear in early spring, and 

 after feeding about a fortnight on caterpillars occurring at this time, 



