THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



131 



are about one eighth of an inch long, rather broadly oval and nearly 

 hemispherical in shape. The general color is shiny black, and the 

 dorsum is mnrlvcd by a number of red or j^ellow spots, as shown in 

 Fig. 4-1:. The larvie greatly resemble those of Crijptola'mus montrouzieri 

 Muls., and may be easily mistaken for them. 



The efficiency of this ladybird beetle is greatly lessened by the attacks 

 of a small internal parasite, which attacks the larval and pupal stages. 

 From a single pupa the writer bred eleven of these parasites. 



Scymiitis guitulaius Lee. 

 (Fig. 45.) 



This beetle is very small, being .scarcely more than one sixteenth of 

 an inch in length. The body is ])lack, mottled with reddish brown, as 

 shown in the illustration. The adults are exceedingly 

 active and fly readily when disturbed. The larva\ 

 like some of those previously described, are covered 

 with long, white, waxy filaments and measure less 

 than one fourth of an inch in length (Fig. 40, C). 



This is a native species which is generally found 

 throughout the State. It often does phenomenal work, 

 and j\Ir. R. S. Vaile has noted a case where it entirely 

 eliminated a serious infestation of mealy bugs in a guttiiiatus. Adult 

 greenhouse in Ventura in a very short time. It feeds ^f®^,^hor's ^niustra- 

 upon nearly all of the mealy bugs. tion.) 



Scymnus niarginicollis Mann. 

 (Fig. 46.) 



This is a small dull l)lack beetle, about one eighth of an inch long 

 and easily distinguished by a salmon-red prothorax and head. The 



Fig. 46. — Scymnus mar- 

 ginicoUis. Enlarged. (Au- 

 thor's illustration.) 



larvaj do not secrete a white cottony covering. They work upon many 

 other scale insects as well as the mealy bugs. 



It is a native species, found throughout the entire State. 



