REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST 



435 



that the insect will enter beds and bite human beings," when in its 

 adult stage it had fought the warmth and shelter of dwellings (Riley- 

 Howard). One of these rumors is probably the following, from a gen- 

 tleman in Columbia county, Washington: " These bugs are a tolerable 

 make-shift for bed bugs when young, crawling into beds and biting 

 quite sharply " (Insect Life, iv, p. 273). 



The proboscis of this insect, while certainly a formidable weapon, 

 is not correctly represented in the figure given in my 4th Report. It 

 is there shown in an extended position, which it is doubtful if it ever 

 assumes (at rest it is folded appressed to the body beneath), and of a 

 length equal to one-half of the insect, including the wing-covers, while 

 its true length scarcely exceeds the one third. 



Its Abundance in North Dakota. 



The present year (1894), the insect has been found in such immense 

 numbers in North Dakota as to excite unusual interest. A gentleman 

 writing October 29th, from Jamestown, N. D. (N. Lat. 47°), on the 

 Northern Pacific Railroad, gives several particulars which add to our 

 knowledge of its life-history and habits which are worthy of 

 transcription. 



A strange insect has made its appearance in this locality in large 

 numbers, and has been the occasion of much speculation as to its char- 

 acter, habits, and name. It has been seen for many weeks past in 

 myriads in certain localities, and is now met with, as it has made its 

 presence felt for weeks past, in stores, offices, barber-shops, hotels, and 

 on the trees and walks. Where it came from and where and when it 

 will go, are yet unanswered questions. Prof. Waldron, of the State 

 Experiment Station at Fargo, says that it is closely allied to the chinch- 

 bug. * * * He is of the opinion that these bugs came from South 

 America, where most of their allies live. 



The insects were first noticed in this portion of the State about the 

 middle of August, at Spiritwood Lake. The bugs were seen in all 

 stages of growth — from the red-coated young to the black-winged 

 adults — hanging in clusters from the limbs and in large numbers on 

 the trunks of the trees. The next instance known of their presence 

 was on September 20th, when thousands of the young were found in 

 the timber at the junction of the Pipestone and James rivers, in this 

 city. Nearly a dozen patches of the young, varying from four or five 

 feet to sixty feet in diameter, were discovered. The wingless larvae, 

 crimson in color, were several feet deep and formed a writhing mass. 

 A few fully developed bugs were noticed among the young. Thou- 

 sands were seen on the brush, logs, trees, and stones. The insects, 

 while in the larval state, remained in this locality for about two weeks, 

 and then suddenly disappeared. 



The description given in continuation of the above established the 

 identity of " North Dakota's New Bug " with the Leptocoris trivit- 

 tatus. 



