34 DEPARTMENT BULLETIN 1779. 
6. Wheat, barley, and rye are the preferred food plants among the 
cultivated crops. The species also feeds upon other cereals, and upon 
alfalfa, cotton, peas, beans, cabbage, tomato, and lettuce, in addition 
to many native plants. 
7. The first recorded damage occurred in 1903, and since that time 
destructive outbreaks have been reported from most of the States 
west of the Great Plains area. 
8. Weather influences and the work of parasites generallv restrict 
destructive outbreaks in each locality to periodic intervals of two or 
three years. 
9. Adults emerge from hibernation in the early spring and deposit 
eggs on the material composing the hibernating quarters. The re- 
sulting nymphs feed upon tender plants growing in the vicinity. 
10. Upon reaching maturity the adults migrate to grain fields and 
feed upon the developing heads. 
11. There are three distinct generations and sometimes a partial 
fourth generation annually. About 50 days are required to complete 
the life cycle of each generation. 
12. After midsummer the numbers of the insects are greatly re- 
duced by an egg parasite, Zelenomus ashmeadi, and by two species 
of tachinid parasites, Gymnosoma fuliginosa and Ccypterodes 
euchenor, which parasitize the adults. Several kinds of predacious 
enemies contribute to the same result. 
13. Hibernation occurs in the adult stage under weeds or rubbish. 
No nymphs or eggs survive the winter. 
14. Severe winters result in the death of a large percentage of 
hibernating adults and constitute one of the most important factors 
in restricting destructive outbreaks of the species. During normal 
winters at least 95 per cent of the adults survive when hibernating 
in protected locations. 
15. The most effective and practical method of control is the de- 
struction of the adults while they are concentrated in their winter 
quarters. This is best accomplished by plowing under, or burning, 
all rubbish and weeds, particularly Russian thistle, in and about cul- 
tivated fields. These control measures should be included as a part 
of the regular farm practice and any special work required may be 
carried on during the inactive season at a time when the farm labor 
and equipment ordinarily are idle. 
16. Trap crops, hand picking, and hopperdozers might prove 
practical in the control of the insect under special conditions. 
LITERATURE CITED. 
(4): STAL,:C: 
1872. Enumeratio Hemipterorum ... Part 2. 159 p. Stockholm. In 
Kong]. Svenska. Vetenskaps. Akad. Handlingar, v. 10, no. 4. 
Page 33: Described as Lioderma subg. Chlorochroa. Original descrip- 
tion in Latin. 
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