170 THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



INSECT NOTES. 



Scutellista cyunea, the predacious egg parasite of the black scale, Saissetia olew 

 Bern., were found abundantly in the larval and pupal stages, February 3d, in Los 

 Angeles County. — E. J. Branigan. 



Specimens of Desmia sp. have recently been reared at the Insectary from grape 

 cuttings collected in Fresno County. Desmia funeralls, a species wliich heretofore has 

 been reported only from the region east of the great plains, sometimes does consider- 

 able damage to grapes. This Fresno species may be f^ineralis, although it differs from 

 the published illustrations. At any rate, its discovery is of interest and it has possi- 

 bilities as a grape pest. Specimens have been sent to Washington for identification. — 

 Harry S. Smith. 



Cocoons of the California silk moth, Samia ceanothi, were collected from the sweet 

 birch in the Feather River Canyon, Butte County, and in the Volcano Canyon, Placer 

 County. They were not very common, due to the heavy parasitism by a Tachinld and 

 a large Chalcid, probably Spilocha'icis maniw Riley. — E. J. Branigan. 



County Horticultural Commissioner C. F. Collins of Visalia has collected Parlatoria 

 pergandii on Araucaria bidioillii. The Araucaria seems to be a new host plant of this 

 insect. The common ivy or oleander scale, Aspidiotiis hederw, was also collected on 

 AsiHtragus snrengcri by Mr. Collins. The determinations were inade by Mr. G. A. Cole- 

 man of the University of California. — E. J. Yosler. 



Aulacasnis manzanita is very common on manzanita in the Sierra Nevada moun- 

 tains. — E. J. Branigan. 



Over a ton of the common California ladybird, Hippodamia convergens, has been 

 collected in the Feather River Canyon, Butte County, and from the canyons of the 

 tributaries of the American River in the high Sierras of Placer County. — E. J. Brani- 

 gan. 



County Horticultural Inspector A. G. Smith of Pasadena recently sent to this office 

 for identification a mite found feeding on the leaves of bamboo. Specimens were sent 

 to Dr. L. O. Howard, who writes that Mr. Nathan Banks determined it as Stigmwopsis 

 celarius, a species which he has received from California and Florida. — Geo. P. 

 Weldon. 



Approximately sixty million specimens of the common ladybird, Hippodamia con- 

 vergens, have been collected for the experiment in the Imperial Valley and elsewhere, 

 and are now available for distribution. — Harry S. Smith. 



The chicken tick, Argas miniatiis, has been sent in from Lake County by Mr. F. G. 

 Stokes with the statement that they were a serious pest of chickens locally. — Harry S. 

 Smith. 



The Diplopods, Spii-obolits marginatus, were common under the leaves and around 

 decayed logs in the spots where the ladybirds were collected in the Sierras. — E. .1. 

 Branigan. 



