123 
gs and dies. It is asserted as a fact that the beaks of the bugs 
e poisonous to the plants on which they feed. I have not found 
is to be so. I have been unable to discover any other injury 
i an the same mechanical injury that would result from any punc- 
re, if attended with the same depletion of sap. 
iThis, bug is very quick in its motions. You may approach a plant 
which dozens of them are feeding; as soon as they discover your 
proach, they all dodge around quickly to the opposite side of the 
*nt, out of your sight; if you disturb them, they either fly away, 
ley are brisk flyers, and are called flies by many), or drop to the 
3 und. Early in the spring, they are dormant on cool mornings 
d are easily picked off or shaken down and destroyed.” 
Prof. Riley remarks in his Second Entomological Report: “Quite 
rly last spring, while entomologizing in Southern Illinois, I spent 
lay with Mr. A. J. Ayres, of Villa Ridge, and was surprised to 
rn that he had become quite discouraged in his efforts to grow 
mg pear trees, on account of the injuries of a certain bug which 
on examination I found to be the ‘Tarnished Plant-bug.’ ” In the 
icle in the “Entomologist and Botanist” to which I have referred 
« a previous page, he further says: “This insect has been very 
unous the present year. Mr. J. P. Jones, of Keytesville, Chari- 
I county, Mo., complained bitterly to us this spring of its injuries 
pear and apple trees in his section; Mr. D. B. Wier, of Lacon, 
, considers that it has damaged his crops to the amount of 
; 000; and the acl interim committee which lately visited his 
hards, report but little fruit on the pear trees on account of its 
ving poisoned and killed the blossom buds. No doubt the extreme 
f weather has had much to do with the increase of these pests.” 
Che apple, pear, cherry, plum and quince, are among the fruit 
|es reported as especially subject to its attacks; and Prof. Riley 
p. a ^ so noted it as an enemy of the grape, which it injures much 
it does the twigs of trees. 
In the Straivberry Field. 
Beyond a conjecture of Prof. Riley, that an injury to strawberry 
ces referred to him by a correspondent, was due to the punctures 
I this insect,.* and a general statement by Mr. Townend Glover, 
II species is injurious to that plant, evidently based upon the 
ve surmise of Mr. Riley,! I do not know that it has ever been 
pected of an attack upon the strawberry until the present year. 
Yy own attention was first called to the matter by a letter from 
^srs. Earle & Sons, of Cobden, Ill., who are among the heaviest 
iwberry growers in the country. 
nder date of May 14, Mr. F. S. Earle wrote me from Anna, 
iois:' “We are in trouble again. This time it is a green ‘bug’ 
! t is sucking the juice out of the green berries, causing them to 
: ier and partially dry up—‘button’ it is called by strawberry 
| vers. This ‘buttoning’ has been known for a long time, and it 
f 
American Entomologist, Vol. I (1869), p. 227. 
Eeport of the U. S, Department of Agriculture for 1875, p. 126. 
