THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 27 



trouzicri, but less than half as large. The larva, too, is very similar, 

 being covered with white waxy excretions. Two other enemies are a 

 small metallic blue Eneyrtid and a Proetotrypid, both parasitic wasps, 

 or Hymenoptera, which lay their eggs in the very young riealy Imgs 

 and emerge from the half-grown insect before its eggs are deposited. 

 We now have a good breeding stock of these in the insectary and hope 

 to get them establislied. 



In the Philippine Islands many species of mealy bugs occur, some 

 very abundantly, but in the seven weeks spent there by the writer, 

 PsruclococcKS citri was not encountered. There is. however, a some- 

 what similar species which occurs on the citrus trees of the archipelago, 

 !)ut which was not found to be connnon at the time the writer was 

 present, September and October. When I first arrived in the Philip- 

 pines the little black ladybii'd. PuUus fuscafus* was feeding upon this 

 mealy bug in considerable numbers, but it gradually grew scarcer and 

 scarcer until during October it was not to be found. Another ladybird, 

 Aspidimenis orhiculus, which occurs there, does wonderful work on the 

 mealy bugs of the Islands. This was the most generally distributed 

 enemy, the larvcU being practically always present whenever Psrudo- 

 coccits was found, feeding voraciously. upon the eggs and newly-hatched 

 insects. This species was first discovered to be of possible economic 

 importance by Mr. George Compere, and has been brought to California 

 in considerable numbers. Whether or not it will withstand the some- 

 what colder winters of California, remains to be seen, but it Avould 

 seem as though it should thrive at least in the mild climate of the coast 

 counties in the south, whore the citrus mealy bug is at its worst. In 

 these islands there also occurs a wonderful predaceous butterfly, Spalgis 

 suhstrigata* a very important factor in the control of mealy bugs. 

 AVhile I did not find this insect to be widespread in Luzon, it was quite 

 common in certain localities, especially at Singalong. where my labora- 

 tory was located. A single larva of this butterfly would frequently 

 clear an entire twig of mealy bug larvae and eggs. The adult is one 

 of the familiar "Blues" or Lyca?nids, about three quarters of an inch 

 in wing-spread. It deposits its eggs singly on the leaf or twig of plants 

 infested with the mealy bug. They are quite small, somewhat flattened 

 and of a greenish-yellow color. The larvas are grayish, with a short 

 thick hairy covering. As they feed upon the mealy bugs the waxy 

 coverings of the latter are thrown back, stick to these hairs and within 

 a short time the larva is indistinguishable from the mealy bugs, except- 

 ing when in motion. When full grown the larvse are between one half 

 and three quarters of an inch in length. Pupation takes place upon the " 

 leaf and the pupa looks exactly like the head of a monkey, eyes, mouth, 

 nose and all. The pupal period lasts approximately two weeks. Sev- 

 eral specimens were brought to Sacramento in a living condition, but 

 so far no eggs have been deposited. This type of insect is very diffi- 

 cult to breed in confinement, and it may be that we will have to rely 

 upon importing in larger numbers and releasing the adults directly into 

 the orchards. 



Of the chalcid flies there are two species, but neither compares with 

 the ladybird or butterfly in elKciency in its native habitat. Whether 

 they will breed upon our citrus mealy bug has not yet been determined. 



♦Determined for me by Mr. Schultze, Philippine Bureau of Science. 



