218 



THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



THE SMALL BROWN LADYBIRD BEETLE. 



Scymiiits sordidus Horn. 

 (Fig. 215.) 



General Appearance.— Very small light brown beetle, scarcely more 

 than one eighth of an inch long. 



Life History. — The eggs are very minute and deposited in suitable- 

 feeding grounds. The larva cover themselves with a thick coat of 

 long white waxy flocculence and greatly resemble mealy bugs. Though 

 small they are voracious feeders, especially upon the smaller species 

 of plant lice and also upon young scale insects. The pupte are formed 

 within the old larval skins. 



Fig. 215. — LarvEe and adult of Scytnnus sordidus Horn. The former slightly 

 and the latter greatly enlarged. (Essig, P. C. Jr. Ent. ) 



Distribution. — Throughout the entire State, but more abundant in 

 the south. 



Hosts. — This species preys upon mealy bugs, the young of the 

 armored scales, plant lice {Aphis gossypii) and other soft-bodied 

 insects. Large numbers of these ladybird beetles are to be found in 

 the citrus groves of Ventura County. 



• Scymnus gutttilatiis Lee. 



(Fig. 216.) 



General Appearance. — The adult insects are oval-elongate in shape 



and scarcely one eighth of an inch in length. The 

 general color is black, mottled with reddish-brown 

 as shown in Fig. 216. The larva? are about one 

 fourth of an inch long with yellow bodies entirely 

 covered with long, white, cottony filaments. (Fig. 

 208C.) The nymphs remain in the old larval 

 skins in secluded fpiarters throughout the pupal 

 stage. 



o 



Fig. 216. — Adult of 

 Bcymnns Quttulatns 



Lee. (Essig, P. C. Jr. 

 Ent.) 



Distribution. — This is a native species, occur- 

 ing throughout the entire State, having been 

 often distril)uted by the State Insectary. 



