5° The Ohio Naturalist. [Vol. IV, No. 3, 



acteristic differences, hence it has been found that this is the 

 easiest way of determining the species. The imported species 

 appears to be more prolific than its native congener and when 

 food was abundant about five generations were produced annuall}' 

 at Washington, D. C, according to Mr. Marlatt. 



On August 12, 1903, through the courtesy of Dr. L. O. How- 

 ard, Entomologist to the United States Department of Agricul- 

 ture, a shipment of twenty of these beetles was sent to the writer. 

 Unfortunatel}', it was not received until August 17, and onl}- 

 three of the insects were alive. The beetles were immediately 

 taken to an orchard infested with the San Jose scale near With- 

 amsville in Clermont county. One of these escaped from the box 

 before arriving at the orchard but the other two were placed on 

 an infested peach tree. They were observed for some time after 

 being liberated and, although they were quite active, made no 

 attempt to fly away. After crawling about for some time both 

 beetles began to feed upon the scales and young lice. 



Owing to the fact that only two individuals were placed in the 

 orchard it was feared that they might disappear, but five days 

 after they were liberated the orchard was visited b}" Mr. Otto H. 

 Sw^ezey, one of my assistants, and both beetles were found feed- 

 ing upon the scales on the same tree where they had been placed. 

 No further observations were made until October 28, when a 

 hast)' examination revealed twelve adults present on the tree 

 where the planting was made. Empty larval skins and pupa 

 cases were also noted, but no beetles or larvae could be found on 

 any of the adjoining trees in the orchard. 



Another shipment of this insect was made to Mr. P. J. Parrott, 

 Entomologist to the Ohio Experiment Station, and were placed in 

 an orchard in Danbur}^ Ottawa county. I am informed by Mr. 

 J. S. Hauser, Assistant Entomologist to the Station, that none of 

 the beetles were found at the time the last examijiation was made. 



It is interesting to note that this species will breed in southern 

 Ohio, but the question of its ability to survive the winter is still 

 to be determined. Colonies have successfully passed the winter 

 at Washington, D. C, and Marshallville, Georgia, but I under- 

 stand that no shipments were placed last fall at a latitude north 

 of the former locality. 



Although this ladybird, if it succeeds in surviving the winter 

 season, will add another insect to the list of beneficial species in 

 Ohio, it is still an open question whether it will prove as benefi- 

 cial in holding the San Jose scale in check as it does in its native 

 home. For this reason it would be ver}- unwise for any orchardist 

 to neglect to treat his trees that are infested with the San Jose 

 scale until the efficiency of the work of the beetles has been 

 thoroughly demonstrated. 



Cohxiiibus, Ohio. 



