Coreidae Of Florida

Thirty-three genera and 120 species of Hemiptera, family Coreidae, commonly called the squash bug family, are known to occur in the United States and Canada. Many of these are found only in the extreme southern or southwestern states. Both nymphs and adults of most Coreidae are sap suckers which feed on ripe or ripening seeds, fruits, stems, and foliage of their host plants. The family is a large one of world-wide distribution which includes some important pests, such as Amblypelta cocophaga China on coconuts in the Solomon Islands, Dasynus piperis China on pepper in Indonesia, Pseudotheraptus on coconuts in East Africa, and Anasa tristis DeGeer on squash, pumpkin, cucumber, and other members of the cucurbit family in the United States. Leptoglossus phyllopus (Linnaeus), one of the most common species of coreids in the southeastern United States, sometimes damages cotton, various fruits, and truck crops, while Leptoglossus occidentalis Heidemann and Leptoglossus corculus (Say) breed on conifers and often are destructive to the seed crop. Leptoglossus gonagra (Fabricius) will attack and damage early varieties of citrus, including tangerines and oranges.

Coreidae of Florida is the first of several volumes on Hemiptera currently under preparation to be published in Arthropods of Florida and neighboring land areas. It provides a reference useful both for field identification of most species and for the accurate identification in the laboratory of all species known to occur or which are likely to be found in Florida. Dr. S. W. Blatchley (1926) reported 33 species of Coreidae from Florida. In this publication the authors report on 41 species that have been recorded for Florida, but Florida specimens of 4 of these species were not seen by the authors, and the authors believe that at least 2 of these species do not occur in Florida. An extensive list of plants with which Florida Coreidae have been associated, data on parasites, and an extensive list of references are included.

Dr. Richard Matthew Baranowski, or “Dick”‘ as he is generally called, was born in Utica, New York, on 1 March 1928, son of Agnes and Walter Baranowski. On 16 June 1951 he married Helen B. Venn. They have 3 children: Gena, Alison, and Lisa. Dick was educated in the public schools of Utica, New York. He received the Bachelor of Arts degree in 1951 from Utica College of Syracuse University with a major in biology. In 1953 he received the Master of Science degree and in 1959 the Doctor of Philosophy degree, both from the University of Connecticut with a major in entomology. He served as a Graduate Research Assistant during 1952-54 and as a Graduate Teaching Assistant during 1954-56 at the University of Connecticut. In 1956 Dick joined the staff of the University of Florida’s Agricultural Research and Education Center at Homestead (for many years known as the SubTropical Experiment Station) where he served as an Assistant Entomologist until 1963, as an Associate Entomologist from 1963-67, as an Entomologist and Professor from 1967-84. In 1984 he became Center Director of the University of Florida center at Homestead, which is now known as the Tropical Research and Education Center, and he continues to serve in this capacity. He also served (half time) during 1979-81 as United States Department of Agriculture, Plant Pest Quarantine Technical Advisor, National Biological Control Program. Dr. Baranowski has been a Research Associate of the Florida State Collection of Arthropods since 1969. He is a member of several academic and professional societies: Florida Entomological Society (President, 1975), Entomological Society of America, International Organization for Biological Control (Secretary/Treasurer, 1980-84; President, 1984-85), Florida State Horticultural Society, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Council on Agricultural Science and Technology, Sigma Xi, and Gamma Sigma Delta. His biography is included in American Men and Women of Science. In 1971 he was selected as Outstanding Research Faculty Member at AREC- Homestead, and in 1973 he received the Florida Department of Agriculture’s Plant Protection Award of Eminence. He has been the recipient of more than $685,000 in research grants pertaining to the biology, ecology, mass rearing procedures, biological control, and detection of fruit flies; US/Latin American Cooperative Science Program: study of phenological relationships between broad mites, rust mites, and lime trees and between mirids, avocado trees, and alternate hosts; and other investigations. He is author of a 1964 volume titled Insects in The Golden Bookshelf of Natural History series published by Golden Press, coauthor with Dr. J. A. Slater of How to know the Hemiptera published in 1978, and author or coauthor of 64 other scientific publications, with 2 manuscripts in press. His primary current research areas are the management of subtropical fruit pests in· eluding fruit flies and the biology and sys· tematics of the Hemiptera of Florida and the Caribbean. His discipline-oriented work has taken him to Austria, Bahamas, Costa Rica, Dominica, England, France, Guadeloupe, Jamaica, Martinique, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and Switzerland Consultative missions have involved work in Bolivia, El Salvador, Mexico, and Trinidad. He is a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Homestead, Florida. His hobbies include photography and woodworking. Dr. James Alexander Slater, “Jim” to his many friends, was born in Belvidere, Illinois, on 10 January 1920, son of Gladys Banks Slater and Ray Alvin Slater. He and Elizabeth Thackston were married on 20 February 1943, and they have 4 children: James Alexander II, Jacquelyn Rae, Samuel Thackston, and Lydia Ann. During 1943-46, he served as an officer in the United States Navy; Deck officer in the Mediterranean; Malaria Control Officer, North Carolina and Okinawa. Jim received the Bachelor of Arts degree in 1942 from the University of Illinois, graduating with high honors. He received the Master of Science degree in 1947 from the University of Illinois and the Doctor of Philosophy degree in 1950 from Iowa State University with a major in en· tomology. He served as an Instructor, then Assistant Professor at Iowa State University during 1950-53. At the University of Connecticut he served as an Assistant Professor during 1953-56; Associate Professor, 1956-61; Professor, 1961-date; Department Head: Systematic and Evolutionary Biology Section, Biological Sciences Group, 1970-80. During 1960-61 he was a Research Fellow at the British Museum (Natural History). He was State Ornithologist in Connecticut during 1962·81; a Research Associate of the National Insect Collection, Pretoria, South Africa, 1967-68; Research Associate, American Museum of Natural History, 1977-date, and Research Associate, Florida State Collection of Arthropods (1986-date). Academic and profes· sional societies of which he is a member are: Entomological Society of America, New York Entomological Society, Kansas Entomological Society, Washington Entomological Society, Entomological Society of South Africa, Royal Entomological Society (London), Society of Systematic Zoology, Florida Entomological Society, Association for Tropical Biology, Connecticut Entomological Society, Connecticut Herpetological Society, Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences, Connecticut Academy of vii Science and Engineering, American Society of Zoologists, Phi Beta Kappa, Sigma Xi, Phi Kappa Phi, Gamma Sigma Delta, Association for Gravestone Studies, and Katchaug Ornithological Society. His biography is included in American Men and Women of Science and in Who’s Who in the East. Dr. Slater received the University of Connecticut Faculty Research A ward in 1972. He was the Eastern Branch Nominee for Distinguished Achievement Award in Teaching, Entomological Society of America, in 1977. In 1982 he won the Harriett Merriefield Forbes A ward of the Association for Gravestone Studies. He served on the Selection Committee of Phi Beta Kappa in 1979; University of Connecticut Retirement Committee (Chairman, 1982·85), 1982-date; Vice President of Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1980-date; Connecticut Non-Game Advisory Committee, 1981-date; Friends of Trail Wood Committee (Edwin Way Teale Sanctuary), 1981-date. His professional activities include: Editor, Entomologica Americana, 1957·67; Editorial Board and Archives Board, Connecticut Entomological Society, 1974·81; National Science Foundation Advisory Panel, Systematic Biology, 1963-65; University of Con· necticut Research Foundation Advisory Board, 1964-67; Task Force on Establishment of an Environmental College, 1958-59; Commissioner, Connecticut Geological and Natural History Survey, 1963-73; Commissioner, Accrediting Education, 1968-71; President, Connecticut Chapter of Sigma Xi, 1973-7 4; Alternate, International Institute of Ecology, 1970-74; U.S.D.A. Review Panel; Department of Entomology, Texas A. & M. University, March 1978; President-elect, 1979-81, and President, 1981-83, Society of Systematic Zoology; Chairman, Nominating Committee, Society of Systematic Zoology, 1982; Evaluation Committee, California Academy of Sciences, May 1982; Evaluation Committee, Department of Entomology, Cornell University, April 1984-85. Biological Sciences Group; Service on national committees includes: Entomological Society of America: Undergraduate Scholarship Committee, 1980, Nominating Committee, Section A, 1980; Committee to Investigate Formation of a Federation of Systematics, 1980·84; Thomas Say Foundation Publication Committee, 1977-80 (Chairman, 1979-80); Convenor and Chairman: Symposium “Present and Future Trends in Hemipteran Systematics”, International Congress of Entomology, Washington, D.C., 1976. Workshops attended include the Danforth Foundation Workshop on Educational Innovation, Colorado Springs, Colorado, Jun~July 1966; National Science Foundation Workshop on “Basic Systematic Biology: Future Trends”, 11-13 June 1980, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio. Field experience has included work in South Africa, and Mauritius Island (1967-68, 1970), Australia (1970-71), Costa Rica (1965), Panama (1974), Trinidad (1965, 1973, 1982), and the West Indies 11969, 1972, 1973, 1982). Dr. Slater’s field of specialization is Systematic Entomology, including research interests in systematics. biogeography, speciation, plant and animal interrelationships, and faunistics. He is author of a 2-volume catalogue of the Lygaeidae of the world published in 1964 and senior author with Dr. Baranowski of a 1978 Pictured Key Nature Series volume, How to know the true bugs. He is author of 6 reviews, coauthor of 1 conference proceedings, and author or coauthor of 206 publications in scientific journals, with 10 additional manuscripts in press. Jim collects milk glass as a hobby. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church.

Howard V. Weems, Jr.
Editor

Bureau of Entomology
Division of Plant Industry
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
25 April 1986