54 
Thomas, Cyrus. —Insects Injurious to the Vegetable Garden. 
(Trans. Ill. State Hort. Soc., 1877, v. 11. p. 176.) 
Chinch bug mentioned as often doing serious injury in the 
garden. 
Thomas Cyrus. —[Chinch Bug. Blissus leucopterus, Say.] (Seventh 
Rept. State Ent. Ill., 1877, pp. 5, 15-19, 40-71.) 
No considerable appearance of chinch bugs since the scourge 
of 1874. They never occur in such overwhelming numbers as then 
except where two favorable years for their increase occur in suc¬ 
cession, and the intervening winter is the time to apply the rem¬ 
edy. Refers to the verification of his predictions for 1876 and 
1877 (comparative immunity from chinch-bug injury), and thinks 
the probabilities are that the insect will not prove injurious for 
a year or two. Estimates damage to the corn crop alone, in 
Illinois, in 1874, to be not less than $20,000,000. Unquestionably 
the most formidable insect enemy of the Illinois farmer. Quotes 
descriptions of imago by Say and LeBaron; mentions its early 
appearance as recorded by Fitch, Say, and Harris; and gives 
account of the history of the species in Illinois, as recorded in 
various agricultural journals, including quotations from LeBaron’s 
2d Report,—1840 being given as the date of first appearance here 
in injurious numbers. Gives copy of circular of inquiry sent to 
various counties in 1875 concerning chinch-bug injury, number of 
broods observed, remedies used, etc., and gives quotations from 
replies received. Three broods are reported in a number of 
instances, and in Franklin county, “a small brood wms produced 
in April,—an unprecedented event in the history of the chinch 
bug.” (1) Descriptions of various stages and varieties. (2) 
Number of broods and hibernation: two-brooded, with some evi¬ 
dence of a third; hibernates in the adult stage, and appears 
in spring, from middle of March to May or June, according to 
latitude and character of season. (3) First brood hatch from 
eggs deposited by hibernating individuals, maturing in from five 
to seven weeks. (4) Migrations: Before the females of the 
first brood deposit their eggs they migrate,—almost always on 
foot and primarily in search of a more abundant food supply. 
Occasionally they take to flight, which is more common some years 
than others, depending largely on the weather and somewhat, per¬ 
haps, upon the time of their amours. (4) The natural agencies 
which assist in their destruction are lady bugs, lace-winged flies, 
the many-banded robber, quails, frogs, and rains,—the latter the 
chief natural agency which works against the chinch bug, destroy¬ 
ing eggs, young, and adults. (5) The remedies mentioned are 
burning in winter quarters (corn stalks, straw, and other rubbish), 
drenching when practicable,—if fire cannot be used, and other 
measures as given in LeBaron’s 2d Report (3d Rept. State Ent. 
Ill.), from which he quotes at length. [See ante page 58, 1872 
LeBaron.] He agrees with LeBaron that topical applications as 
a check to the chinch bug are labor lost; says that fumigating is im- 
