April, '15] 



KNIGHT: CAPSID OVIPOSITION 



293 



OBSERVATIONS ON THE OVIPOSITION OF CERTAIN 



CAPSIDSi 



By Harry H. Knight 



The scarcity of knowledge in regard to oviposition by members of 

 the family Capsidse led the writer to undertake observations on those 

 species of greatest economic importance in Genesee County, N. Y. 

 During the past surnmer the following species were observed and their 

 method of oviposition studied in detail: The Apple Red Bug (Hetero- 

 cordylus malinus Rent.) ; False Apple Red Bug {Lygidea mendax Reut.); 

 False Tarnished Plant -bug (Lygus invitiis Say); and Paracalocoris 

 colon Sa^^ 



While working in the field in cooperation with the Genesee County 

 Fruit Growers' Association, the writer has had an unusual opportunity 

 to observe these capsids over a large extent of territory. During the 

 present year (1914) the Apple Red Bugs have proved to be among the 

 most injurious insects attacking the apple in western New York. The 

 rapid development of both species as pests has been quite remarkable. 

 Described as new species in 1909 and life histories studied for purposes 

 of control the same and follomng years (1911), such has been the brief 

 history of these pests. It has been supposed that the apple red bugs 

 were native to the hawthorn and wild crab and from these'came over 

 to the cultivated orchards. This theory is well supported by recent 

 observations made in the field. On June 18, 1913, seven nymphs and 

 some adults of Lygidea mendax were collected on Cratcegus sp. in an 

 old pasture near an apple orchard where the species was likewise 

 abundant. Xymphs of both species were found abundant on haw- 

 thorn, wild crab, and wild apple trees May 24, 1914, at Portage Falls, 

 in the valley of the Genesee River. Characteristic injury caused by 

 feeding on the tender leaves and shoots was noted on all of these 

 plants. This localit}^ forms a natural and isolated breeding place for 

 both species with no cultivated orchards within a radius of two miles. 



The Apple Red Bug {Heterocordylus malinus Reut.) 



The eggs of both species (H. malinus and L. mendax) and places 

 where they are found have been described by Prof. C. R. Crosby 

 (1911) in an excellent bulletin on these insects. No observations are 

 recorded giving the time and manner of the deposition of the eggs. 

 The first adult of the apple red bug {H. malinus) was taken June 7 

 but the majority of the species matured about June 12. Daily ob- 

 servations were made on the adults confined in cages and under natural 



^ Contribution from the Department of Entomology of Cornell University. 



