Article beginning on page 267.
Psyche 7:267-270, 1894.
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NOTES ON THE WINTER INSECT FAUNA OF VIGO COUNTY, 1NDTANA. - 11.
Vigo County lies on the western
border of Indiana, and almost midway
between the northern arid southern
l~ounclaries of the State. The topo-
graphy of the county is varied. Tlie
Wabash River flows through its north-
western corner and in many places its
bottoms, wliicli arc usually overflowed
each spring, arc from two to four miles
in width.
Borderingtthese lowland bottoms are
level river terraces or pr:iirics var~ing in width tYoin three to eight miles, the soils of which for a half mile or more
are exceedingly sandy, but lose this
character as one proceeds fiirtlicr :iwiiy from the low1:incls. Rcyond the prairies are the uplands, usually more or less
broken or hilly, which extend to the
confines of the county, and are iindcr-
laid with co;il. I mention these facts
because ohsn'viition has led me to be-
lieve that the insect fauna of any region is determined largely by its topography
and soils, as well as by its latitude,
temperature, etc.
My collecting, especially that of
winter, has mostly been within a radius
of ten miles of the city of Terse Hsuitc, and largely along- the hillsides where
the bottoms and piairies, or the prairies and uplands meet.
About 160 species of PIemiptera-
Heteroptern have been taken in the
county, but I believe that this number
by no means exhausts the fauna of this
suborder existing there, as such species only have been taken as hnvc come to
hand while searching- for other forms,
Of these, two-fifths, or 64 species, have been taken in the winter months.
Thirty-eight, of the sixty-Coin' are
listed in the present paper, and brief
notes as to the places which they
occupy in winter are given. The
remaining' species, -from the Lygac-
idi'te onward, will be treated of in a
future article.
The arningement ainl ~~omencl:ii.~ire
is that of WhIer's " Check-List of the
IIeiniptera-Heterop~era of North Amer-
ica," to the antllor of which, Mr.
P. R. Ulilcr of Baltimore, Mcl., I am
under many obligations for aid in
determining the species of Heteroptera
which inhabit the county.
In addition to the 64 species of lllis
suborder taken by myself in winter,
Mr. E. P. Van Duzee, in his recent
List of the FTemiptera of B1.1fl'alo it~cl
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2ti8 PS2THB. [August 1895.
Vicinity," mentions 13 other species
taken by him in that seahon, in the
vicinity of Buflalo, New York.
It is
probable, therefore, that, in the north- eastern United States, fully 100 species of Heteroptcra survive the winter as
imagoes.
I, Conmelaena atra Am. et Sen'.
Found singly 11e11e:ith logs and the
leaves of mullein ( Vertascum thaws
L.) Dee. 10-Feb. 25.
2 Cun'mehena $zdicaria Germ.
Beneath rails and dead leaves in fence
comers (Feb. 11-Feb. 25).
3, A~UP~S/ZLS 'pz~.s'iZZ.ys Ubler. One
specimen, the only one seen in the
State, was taken from an overturned
log on a sandy hillside (Dee. 23).
4, Podisus sfinosus Dallas.
Not a
common species in. Western Indiana.
Hibernates ben~th the leaves of
mullein, etc. (Jan. 5-Feb. 11.) The
"ċ´soldie bug" seems to have a fond-
ness for a diet of butterfly larvae, as
a specimen was taken in June feeding
upon a caterpillar of Donais arch/ċ´p/u
Fab., and another in 'November on
one of Pai)iZio cresflontes Cram.
6, fiochyfiz6ita annulaLa Fab. This,
the common member of the genus with
us, is found throughout the winter in
small colonies of three to a dozen
huddled closely together beneath the
loose bark of dead black walnut and
ash trees. When, evsn on a warm
day, the protective cover of bark is
removed, they reuiitin ~erfectly motion- less, with antennae invisible on account of being folded back close" alongside
the bunk beneath the head and body.
7, Monnidea lugeus Fab. Rare
in winter beneath chunks and the
leaves of mullein (Dec, 10-Jan. 25).
Common in summer on mullein, and
on one occasion (Oct. 16), tho~~s:inrls
were seen crawling over the leaves and
stems of the Strawberry Bush (Euon-
ymus american-us I,.).
S, Kuchistus tr'istigmus Say. Hi-
bemates singly beneath logs and
chunks, especially those with sides
deeply buried in vegetable mold
(Dec. iz-Feb. 14).
9, Euchistus icterir;us L. Singly
beneath radical leaves of mullein, and
beneath leaves and pieces of mil in
fence corners.
10, Hymcnarcys acpa/is Say. In
winter a common and gregarious spe-
cies beneath logs, mullein leaves, ctc.. -especially in sandy soil. In one:
instance 50 or more were found hud-.
died together in one bunch. The
nymphs are also rarely found in winter.
11, HymenarcysncrvosaSay. Rare
in winter beneath ICE'S and stones near
5, Podots cinct&s Say. Frequent -
in winter beneath chunks on sandy the borders of woods; and cultivated hillsides. fields (Feb. 6-8).
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August 1895.1 PSYCHE. 269
I Thyanta rustator Fab. An
uncommon species in Western Indi-
ana, and varying much in color through
different shades of green and olive
brown. Taken in January on three
occasions from beneath the radical
leaves of mullein.
13, Neza?*a hilaris Say.
In Vigo
County this handsome Pentatomid
reaches maturity about the middle of
August, and a few individuals un-
doubtedly survive the winter, as I have
taken it in two instances on sunny days
in the first half of March from the
branches of shrubs, but huve never
happened upon it d~iring my winter
collecting.
COKEIDAE.
14. Anasa tristis DeGeer. This
common iind disgusting insect hibt'r-
nates in numbers beneath the loose
bark of stumps and snags of various
kinds. Often a score or more will be
found occupying a space a foot square
beneath the bark. Many of them die
before spring, especially if the winter
is an open one with altern:ite freezing
and thawing, but there arc always
plenty left for " seed." They have
been fmincl in winter a mile and more
away from any spot where squash or
kindred plant was grown the season
before -showing that distance does
not deter them from securing a hiber-
nacu1~1111 to their liking.
15, Ccraleptus ameriranus Stil. But
three specimens of this insect have
been taken in thc county. They were
found beneath chunks, in sandy soil,
on Dec. to, March 11, and March 28,
respectively. In general appem-ance
it resembles a dhinuti\e 'l squash
bug."
16. Jalysus spinosiss Say. Singly
beneath logs and mullein leaves on a
number of occasions during the winter
months.
17, L%?,~TZO&S reflexdm Say. Be-
neath mullein leaves, (Dec. 1o-Jan.
13). Frequents flowers of yarrow
(AchiUea millefoiium L.) in June.
IS, Corizus hyalimis Fab.
A coin-
moil winter insect beneath mullein
leaves, cliips, chunks, etc. Usually
several are found in close proximity.
19, A$sins angustahis Uhler. Bc-
neath boards and chunks along the
Lorelei's of cultivated fields (Dec. 3-
Jan. 6).
20, Isrhwrhynchzis didymzt-s Zctt.
Rare. Singly beneath logs near the
edges of woods (Jan. I 3).
21, Cymodema Lama Spin. Rare.
But two specimens taken in the county.
Beneath logs in open woods (Nov.
30-Dec 18).
22, BZissus Zeitcopterus Say. Too
common. Gregarious. Hibernates
beneath chunks and mullein leaves,
especially along borders of cultivated
fields; also within small crevices in
bottom rails of fences; between the
root leaves and stems ofsedges, grasses, etc., etc.
23, Gcoco7,isdiscopterus Still.
Talcen on two occasions in winter
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270 PS YCHR. [~ugust 1895.
from beneath mullein leaves (Jan. 5-
Feb. 20).
24, Geocoris fuliyinosus Say' Fre-
quent. Singly or in pairs beneath logs
and chunks along roadsides.
25, Lz'gvrocoris constrictus Say.
Rare. Beneath logs (Dec. 10).
26, Myodocha sewzpes Oliv. One
of the most common of our winter
Hemiptera. Found beneath logs,
chunks, decaying leaves, etc., espc-
ciiilly in dry sandy soil in upland
wooJs. Seldom more than two are
found together though sometimes gre-
gth~~s. When their piokctivc shclter
is distmbed, unless benumbed with
cold, they crawl hurriedly away, their
slender neck and long swinging ;inten-
nae giving them an odd appearance as
they go. Occasionally the last two
nymph stages are found in mid-winter.
27, Pamem b-asa//sD;111:1s. Rather
common throughout tlic winter Le-
neath logs, stones. and rubbish along
the honlci s of cultivated fields.
28, 0zopiiorafictum;a U111er. The
only spccinien in illy collection w;is
tilken from beneath a log on a sandy
hillsicle, Dec. 3.
29, Ptochiomera izodosa Say. Very
common beneath chunks iilong the
borders of oprn ficlds.
p, Cnemodus vicfvortii-is, Say. An
uncommon species but taken on several
occasions in winter from benext11 logs in clamp localities. Usually two in a place. 31, '.Trapezonotzis neb-idoszis Fall.
Quite coniinon beneath rubbish along
the borders of sandy fields, especially
those in which melons had hccn culti-
vated (Dec. /I.-Fcb. I).
32, EnzbLethis arenarius Linn. Fre-
quent ; especially so beneath mullein
leaves (Dec. 10-Jan. 25).
33, Peritrechus fraternits Uhl.
Rare. Beneath chips and dead leaves
on {.he side of high sandy hill (Feb.
14-Fcb. 21).
34, Meyalonotzis units Say.
I have
taken this insect on hut two occnsiolls. M:irch 21, 1893, 1 found ten occupy-
ing a space of a few square inches be-
neath a rail near the border of an 111)- land woods. They feigned death when
disturbed. On Dec. 23, an additional
specimen was secured from beneath a
log on a sanily hillside.
3 5, Microtoma carbonaria. Rossi.
Common. Hibernating singly or in
pairs, heneat.li logs, chiinks, leaves of rm-illein, etc.
36. Peliopelta aiheviata Uliler.
Rare. Two were laken froin beneath
a chunk on roadsides, Dec. 23.
37, Lygae?is turciczds Fab. Com-
mon throughout the winter, both as
nymph and imago, beiicalh logs and
inul1ei11 leaves along the s~indy border of the old Wabash and Erie canal,
where its food plant the common 'milk-
weed (Asclepins c o d i Decaisnc)
grows in abnnclancc.
38, .Lyg'amts rec/iċ´vatu Say. This
form, distinguished from the above
only by the white sihts on the mein-
branes of the wing covers, is much less
common in winter. It frequents the
same localities as L. tnrcicus, and I
doubt whether the two are distinct,
though Uhler treats them as so in his
Catalogue, and named them as so foi
me.
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