I909-] The Insect and Allied Pests of the Hop. 569- 



in Kent, and I have been unable to trace any damage caused 

 by them in other hop districts. 



The damage done by these bugs is twofold — first by their 

 puncturing the leaves, but to so small an extent that no 

 notice is taken of it. The chief harm they do is by punctur- 

 ing the bine, especially the young, tender bine, and causing 

 it to stop revolving or to wilt. Wherever the punctures had 

 been made a drop of sap was noticed to be flowing, and later, 

 where this puncture was made, a marked scar resulted. 



Bine that had been attacked at Tonbridge was not half up 

 the poles, and this was especially noticed in Fuggles. A 

 dense low growth of laterals was thrown out, and the crop 

 was practically nil. 



Life-history, Habits. — This insect, like other plant bugs, 

 is most active in bright weather. It is very timid in all 

 stages, and runs around the bine directly one goes near it, 

 or if shaken falls to the ground. If winged, the least jar 

 sends it off in a downward flight. They feed also on 

 Umbellifera?, on Ash and Birch, and occur in numbers on 

 Hazel. They also have been recorded by Douglas and Scott 

 on Black Currants at Darenth, and I found them on the 

 same at Capel. 



The only attack of any importance was in a garden where 

 poles were in use. The mature insect is olive to dark olive 

 brown, the females being paler than the males, sparsely 

 covered with a dull golden pubescence. There are ochreous 

 and dull reddish tints in the wings, and their apices are 

 darkened, with a paler spot towards the opaque basal area ; 

 there are two dark spots on the front region of the body, 

 and the legs are ochreous, with the femora or long basal 

 area mottled with dark brown. In length they are 

 about J in. 



The young or larval stage is greenish and reddish brown, 

 with a yellowish green band on the abdomen. The pupa is 

 easily told by the wing buds. Young larva? may be found 

 in late May and June, the latest date recorded being June 

 20th. 



Although the young and pupal stages are not so active 

 as the adults, they nevertheless evade observation in a re- 

 markable manner, and for this reason, together with certain 



