258 EXPEEIMENT STATION RECORD. 



paper the author px-esents an accouut of the life history aucl habits and technical 

 descriptions of the woolly white-fly {Alcyrodes howardi), which as previously 

 noted (E. S. R., 22. pp. 254, 752) has been found to have become established at 

 Tampa, Fla. It occurs on several islands in the West Indies, including Porto 

 Rico and Cuba, where it appears to be partially held in check by parasites and 

 j)redaceous enemies. In Florida it has become well established over a large 

 portion of the city of Tampa and eastward about two miles into Ybor City. 



The last brood of adults of this species has been found to be on the wing later 

 in the year than that of either the citrus or spotted-wing white-fly, at Tampa 

 adults having been noted by the author late in January. " Unless molested or 

 crowded each female deposits her eggs in a complete circle, she being always 

 on the inside. This arrangement she effects by using her mouth parts as a pivot 

 upon which to rotate her body. Since often as many as 3 or 4 rows of eggs are 

 present in one circle, it is evident that the female describes several circles 

 while ovipositing before seeking a new place. Although as few as 27 eggs have 

 been counted in a single circle and as many as 130 in a circle of 4 rows, it is 

 probable that the larger number does not indicate the maximum egg-laying 

 capacity, which in the case of A. citri, has been found to be 222." 



The larva after hatching crawls about before settling. Soon after ceasing to 

 crawl it develops a short inconspicuous marginal wax fringe similar to that of 

 the first instar of .1. iiubifcra. During the second instar 6 white, abdominal cross 

 bands and a distinct white marginal fringe of wax develop. Each of the dorsal 

 spines also secretes a long outstanding waxen rod. "After passing into the 

 third instar the larva, except in point of size, assumes the appearance of the 

 pupa ; the marginal fringe and abdominal secretions found in the preceding 

 instar remain practicallj^ the same, but these are largely or wholly concealed 

 by the long white, curling, and variously matted secretions which arise from 

 along, but not on, the margin of the insect, giving to a leaf infested with this 

 species a woolly appearance, which, when infestation is heavy, entirely con- 

 ceals the insect beneath. These threadlike secretions are often twice as long 

 as the insect itself. . . . The adult insi-ct of eifiier sex is lemon-yellow, with 

 pure-white wings, without darker markings; the ground color of the body 

 being ]iartially obscured by loose particles of waxen secretions. The adult 

 resembles closely A. citri, the citrus white-fly, but carries its wings farther 

 away from the body, thus leaving more of the abdomen exposed." 



A globule of honeydew which collects over the vasiform orifice, often be- 

 coming so large as to conceal the posterior half of the body, is said to be 

 characteristic of this species. " These globules are extremely viscid and make 

 the handling of leaves infested with this aleyrodid very disagreeable. They 

 collect in large numbers in the waxen secretions on heavily infested leaves and 

 both they and the secretions become grayish and dust-laden with age. The 

 globules frequently become overgrown by a rank growth of greenish-brown 

 fungus resembling the hyperparasitics species attacking the yellow white-fly 

 fungus, A^chciHonia flavocitrimi.'" 



The woolly white-fly has been found to infest the various species of citrus, 

 the guava. and the mango, but the author considers its presence on the mango 

 as probably the result of accident. The red fungus {A. aUyrodis) has been 

 reported to attack this s])ecies in Cuba. " From ])resent indications it seems 

 proI)able that this white-fly will be more easily controlled by fumigation than 

 by spraying, inasmuch as when nearly mature it is very well protected from 

 spray liquids by the secretions, mentioned above. Present indications are that 

 during the early larval instars it is as well controlled by spraying as are the 

 citrus and the spotted-wing white-flies, with which it is found associated." 



