372 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 



advances, the female scales are seen to grow to large oval fleshy scales, 

 while the males are much smaller, oblong and slightly oval in shape. 

 A delicate white waxy scale is their only protection. The mature male 

 is a delicate two-winged insect, in' general appearance resembling the 

 males of the two preceding species. Under this delicate covering the 

 male undergoes its transformations, finally, about the time the females 

 become full grown, emerging as a mature insect. 



About the middle of May or early in June the females are mature and 

 egg laying begins. The eggs are oblong oval in shape, pearly white 

 and have smooth shells. They are laid under the mother shell, which is 

 only the hardened integument of the parent insect, the mother scale 

 herself literally turning into a mass of eggs. The number of eggs pro- 

 duced by a single scale varies greatly, probably from five or six hundred 

 to over two thousand, the writer having counted over twenty-one hundred 

 under a single female. 



The newly hatched scales remain under the mother shells for a time 

 varying from a few hours to two or three days. At this time they vary 

 in size from 0.5 to 0.75 mm. in length and are a little more than 

 half as broad as long. Their bodies are also very thin and slightly curved 

 above. 



As would be supposed, a swarm of little scales is produced from a sin- 

 gle mother. After leaving the mother shell they travel about apparently 

 aimlessly for a time, but within a few days settle down, most of them 

 upon the under surface of the leaves along the mid-ribs and larger veins, 

 although many may be found upon the upper surface as well. Still 

 others, however, may be found scattered about promiscuously on both 

 surfaces of the leaves and it is not unusual to find some that have re- 

 mained behind on the new and tender twigs. When attacking the leaves 

 of the quince, they seem to prefer the upper surface, for out of a large 

 number of quince leaves examined only an occasional scale could be 

 found on the under surfaces, while the upper surfaces were moderately 

 infested. It should be remembered that these young scales are very 

 small at this time and as they closely resemble the leaf in color and are 

 almost semi-transparent, they are easily overlooked. Hence in examin- 

 ing the leaves for them it is well to use a small magnifying glass. 



The scales grow slowly during the summer and gradually change to a 

 dark, reddish brown color. During all of this time, however, they suck 

 the sap vigorously and secrete much honey dew, causing the leaves, 

 branches and fruit to become sticky and unsightly. 



During the latter part of August or early in September the young 

 scales migrate to the twigs and branches and even the trunk to seek 

 shelter for the winter. On badly infested trees they may frequentl;^ be 

 found overlapping one another and in sheltered places, as in crevices in 

 the bark it is not unusual to find them two or three deep. In this con- 

 dition they remain until spring when activity is again renewed and the 

 life cycle completed. 



Means of distribution.— The hibernating scales are easily carried about 

 on nursery stock. Young nursery trees probably seldom become badly 

 infested. All of the infested trees which we have seen had but com- 

 paratively few scales on them and these were scattered about on the 

 trunks and branches and were usually hidden in scars on the trunks and 

 near the buds so effectually that they were easily overlooked. Thus 



