416 
JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 
[Vol. 13 
seed is stunted when punctured and the growth around the injured 
portion produces the dimple. Beans on plants whose pods are still 
green, though nearly mature, tend to suffer most. 
In the summer of 1918 immature beans in the field were pricked 
through the pod with a small insect pin and the plants marked by a tag. 
At harvest time the seed in these pods was dimpled, but in most cases 
the pits were more regular in outline than in the case of insect punc¬ 
tures (PL 10, fig. 3). 
It is not always easy to pick out pods which contain dimpled beans 
by their outward appearance. The pods may be free of the roughened 
brown areas and still contain abnormal beans. Some have been found 
where a dark green spot on the lighter green of the pod was the only 
evidence of the deformation within. 
Other insects that produce pits in beans are the spined tobacco bug 
(Euschistus variolarius Palisot de Beauvois) of the family Pentato- 
midse and the tarnished plant bug (Lygus pratensis L.). Specimens of 
the first mentioned insect placed with beans on August 19 had produced 
small pits by September 8 (PI. 10, fig. 1). Nymphs and adults of the 
tarnished plant bug left with a plant for nineteen days also produced 
small dimples (PL 10, fig. 1). The work of the latter was previously 
reported by G. C. Davis from Michigan in 1897. During late summer 
both of the above insects together with the apple leafhopper (Empoasca 
mali LeBaron) have been found in the field with their beaks inserted in 
the pods. Cage experiments seem to show however, that the beaks of 
the leafhoppers are too short to penetrate the pod and injure the beans 
within. Injury is especially noticed in places where ragweed and 
lambs quarters are allowed to grow. 
The extent of the damage caused by these pests is not great, but 
each year there are some beans of this kind in the product of many 
fields and gardens. The most disfigured of field beans will be dis¬ 
carded with the diseased and immature seed, when they are picked in 
the warehouse. Small pits might be easily over-looked, but beans 
with the ragged scars often resulting from the feeding of A. rapidus 
would surely be discarded. 
THE SQUASH BUG 1 
By F. M. Wadley, U. S. Bureau of Entomology 
The common squash bug, which is a well-known enemy of squashes 
and pumpkins, is said to be found practically everywhere in the 
United States, and in Mexico, Central America and Canada. The 
1 Anasa tristis De Geer, Family Coreidae, Order Hemiptera. 
