126 



THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



NATURAL ENEMIES. 



As in the case of most insects the mealy bugs are affected materially 

 by natural enemies. If it were not for these, undoubtedly our native 

 species would become more numerous and harmful and the imported 

 species would be even more serious pests. Nature has provided a very 

 nice arrangement for the protection of the.se natural enemies and we 

 find some working within the host, out of the way of harm, while m.any 

 of the voung of predaceous ladylurd lieetles so resemble mealy bugs 

 that only a skillful eye can detect the differences. Natural enemies are 

 usually "placed in two groups according to their methods of attacking 

 the host, viz : internal parasites or those feeding and developing within 

 the body of the host, and predaceous enemies, or those completely 

 devouring the host. 



Internal Parasites. 



Our knowledge as to the internal parasites of the mealy bugs is yet 

 meager and we are finding that some of the insects claimed to have been 

 parasitic are secondary parasites, that is, they are parasites upon the 

 parasites or predaceous insects working upon the mealy bug. However, 

 there are several true parasites which are of considerable importance, 

 and brief descriptions follow. 



Chnjsophiitjcenis splrndviis How. 

 (Fig. 39.) 



This parasite is a very minute shiny black four-winged insect which 

 is only about 2.1 mm. long, having a wing expanse of 1.93 mm. The 



Fig 39 ■ Chrysoplatycerus splendens, internal parasite of several species of mealy 



bugs. Greatly enlarged. (Author's illustration.) 



antennae are noticeably large and elbowed, the basal half being much 

 larger than the rest. The basal third of the fore wings is light and 

 the remainder distinctly clouded. The hind wings are light, except the 

 veins. There is a distinct tuft of hairs at the tip of the scutellum on 

 the middle of the back, a smaller tuft on each side of the abdomen and 



