133 
THE STUDY OF INSECTS. 
Fig. 161. 
Family NABIDiE (Nab'i-dae). 
The Damsel-bugs. 
We have called the members of this family the Damsel- 
bugs for want of a better name, “ little girl ” being the mean¬ 
ing of Coriscus , the scientific name of our most common 
genus. 
Figure 161 represents a wing-cover of a member of this 
family, and will illustrate the venation char¬ 
acteristic of it, although in some species the 
wings are usually rudimentary. We have two 
common members of this family, one blonde 
and the other black. 
The Blonde Damsel-bug, Coriscus ferns (Co-ris'cus fe'rus), 
is about one-third inch in length, and pale yellow, with nu¬ 
merous minute brown dots. This species is widely distrib¬ 
uted, both in this country and in Europe. It 
secretes itself in flowers or among the foliage of 
various herbaceous plants, and captures small in¬ 
sects, upon which it feeds. There are several 
other species that closely resemble this one. 
The Black Damsel-bug, Coriscussubcoleoptratus 
(sub-co-le-op-tra'tus) (Fig. 162), is very common in 
the Northern States. It is of a shining jet-black 
color, with the edge of the abdomen and the legs yellowish. 
Usually this species has very short, rudimentary wings, but 
a form with long wings is sometimes found. 
Family PHYMATID/E (Phy-mat'i-dce). 
The Ambush-bugs . 
The most common member of this family is Phymata 
wolffii (Phy-ma'ta wolfi-i) (Fig. 163). It is a greenish 
insect, with a black band across the broadly expanded 
abdomen. It conceals itself in flowers, and captures 
Fig. 163. the insects which come to sip nectar. It is espe- 
1 wolffii* daily abundant among the flowers of the golden-rod. 
Fig. 162. — 
Coriscus 
subcoleop¬ 
tratus. 
