1 1 1 THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



Chrysoplatycerus Splendens Howard. 



This parasite, as its name indicates, is one of the most beautiful on 

 record. It is small in size and its color is a handsome combination of 

 iridescent blue, green and purple. It is somewhat sluggish in its habits, 

 depositing its eggs in half-grown and larger mealybugs. It occurs in 

 practically all locations in southern California where the citrus mealy- 

 bug is found, and also in the northern part of the state at Marysville. 



This parasite is a native species and was not introduced into Cali- 

 fornia by Mr. Compere, as stated by Clausen and Essig. It was first 

 described by Doctor Howard in 1888, from material forwarded to him 

 from Los Angeles by Albert Koebele in 1886, and has been well known 

 as a parasite of mealybugs for a number of years. 



"While this parasite is of some value as an adjunct to the other species, 

 taken by itself it would be of little practical importance. It is rather 

 difficult to breed in any numbers in confinement and seems to be con- 

 fined to Pseudococcus citri. 



Pseudleptomastix Squamulatus Gir., Epidinocarsis Subalbicornis Gir., 

 Anagyrella Corvina Gir., Pseudaphycus Sp. 



These parasites have been bred by the writer in considerable num- 

 bers from the grape mealybug in Fresno Comity. There seems to be 

 some doubt as to whether or not this mealybug is P. bakeri, but if it 

 should prove to be the case these parasites might become of value in 

 the work in Southern California. Mr. Clausen reared Pseudaphycus 

 cmgeUcus Howard, from P. citrophilus. It should be possible to breed 

 this parasite in considerable numbers in confinement for liberation in 

 infested orchards. 



There are many minor parasites and predators on mealybugs in Cali- 

 fornia, but it is believed that the above account contains all that are 

 likely to prove of value in their control and that are susceptible of 

 rearing in quantities in confinement. In the final analysis many of 

 these even will be sifted out and the practical work will probably 

 resolve itself into rearing not more than a half dozen species for libera- 

 tion in the orchards. It is of prime importance, however, to have a 

 number of natural enemies working together in harmony, which attack 

 all the different stages of the host insect, i. e., eggs, young larva' and 

 full-grown mealybugs. 



