670 
RHYNCHOTA. 
Fig. 438—Tessaratoma javanica 
NYMPH. 
trees, among grass, under fallen leaves and in decaying vegetation. 
Many are diurnal, brightly coloured species which live exposed on 
plants, many are nocturnal, especially 
the dark coloured species which live 
in thick grass or under leaves. Many 
have special foodplants upon which 
they feed principally or wholly and to 
which they are specially adapted ; in 
a few the foodplants appear to be 
numerous. Whilst the majority are 
plant-sucking, extracting the sap of 
green plants, a number (Amyoteince) 
are known to be wholly or partly pre¬ 
daceous on insects, sucking the fluids 
from their bodies. This habit is found 
in the nymphs as in the adults. Not a 
great deal has been observed on this 
point, but so far as observation has 
gone the greater number of these insects are herbivorous and only 
few predaceous. In particular the food of the species found on the 
bark of trees, under fallen leaves, among decaying vegetation, is 
uncertain. A small number are almost wholly burrowing insects, 
living in the soil and spending their whole life there, emerging only 
at night. Very little is yet known of these forms, which may 
prove to be comparatively numerous. These insects are most 
abundant during the rains when vegetation is in active growth, 
and a number of species probably breed only at this time. As a 
whole, it is probably correct to say that the majority of Pentatomids 
hibernate and aestivate as adults, laying eggs in the rains ; there are one 
or two broods during these months and the imagines in November hide 
away for the winter. There are also species which breed most actively 
in the cold weather and hide away in the rains. A number become 
active and breed during the dry hot weather if food is available, 
and these become very numerous in irrigated crops. The conditions 
of hibernation and aestivation are determined by the degree of cold and 
moisture in each season as well as by the abundance of food, and this 
varies with different tracts ; the student may, however, remember that 
