Physiological Variation in the Snowy Tree-Cricket, Oecanthus Niveus De Geer*

Abstract

One of the most copied mistakes in entomological literature is one which was made by C. V. Riley and other writers of his time, on the oviposition of the Snowy Tree-cricket (Oecanthus niveus De Geer). At that time many entomologists did not clearly distinguish between the two species, which in the eastern states are commonly associated in raspberry and black-berry bushes. The more common species in such situations is Oecanthus nigricornis Walker, which deposits its eggs in conspicuous rows in the berry canes, while O. niveus places its eggs singly by the side of the leaf axils, where they easily escape observation. Riley (1) figured the eggs of the former species under the name of the latter. This error has been copied many times and can still be found in new publications at least as recently as 1918.