54 
THE CHINCH BUG. 
Fig. 12. — Milyas ductus Fab. (from 
Riley). 
ascertained by examinations of the contents of the stomach of a ground 
beetle, Agonoderus pallipes Fab., that one-fifth of the total food of this 
species was composed of chinch bags. Drs. Sbimer and Walsh both 
claim that lace-wing flies (Chrysopa) destroy chinch bugs, and they 
are doubtless correct. I have also very often found chinch bugs entan- 
gled in spider webs, dead, though whether killed for food or by acci- 
dent I have not been able to determine. It will be seen, however, that 
the combined influences of all of the natural enemies of the chinch 
bug, parasitic fungi excepted, is far too weak to offer any material pro- 
tection to the agriculturist against this pernicious enemy of his crops, 
with nothing to promise an improved condition of affairs in this direc- 
tion in the future. There may sometime ap- 
pear hymenopterous parasites of the eggs, 
but we have as yet no proof of the existence 
of such in this country, and only suspect the 
possibility of such a phenomenon because 
other allied species have similar enemies, 
which destroy their eggs. In short, the im- 
munity of the chinch bug from attacks of 
other organisms is so striking that it has at- 
tracted the attention of all entomologists who 
have made a study of the species, and all 
accept this as indicating that it is an exotic, not originally belonging 
to our insect fauna. 
REMEDIAL AND PREVENTIVE jMEASURES. 
The list will include all that have been found to possess the merit of 
reasonable efficiency and practicability. These measures may not all 
prove applicable in all localities or under every variety of circum- 
stances, the farmer often having to fit his protective measure to meet 
weather conditions, location of field and its surroundings, as well as 
the thousand and one other variations of a similar nature. 
DESTRUCTION OF CHINCH BUGS WHILE IN HIBERNATION. 
The first effort that may be made with a view of warding off an 
attack of chinch bug is to destroy them in their winter quarters. This 
can be accomplished by burning all dried grass, leaves, or other rub- 
bish during winter or early spring. Forbes (First Report, p. 37) and 
Marlatt (Insect Life, VII, p. 232) have cast some doubt upon the state- 
ments to the effect that the chinch bug hibernates to any great extent 
among dried grass, leaves, and rubbish, but the evidence is so over- 
whelmingly in favor of the assertions of nearly every entomologist 
who has studied the insect in its hibernation to the effect that it does 
select such places in which to pass the winter that there is hardly any 
use of raising the question at all. A good illustration of the fact that 
large numbers of chinch bugs may be in hiding in such places and 
escape detection is shown by the fact that a quantity of dried leaves 
