AMERICAN HOMOPTERA. 861 



NOTES ON THE "APPLE BARK-LOUSE," 



{Lepidosaphes conchiformis, Ginelin sp.) 



With a description of a supposed new Acarus. 



BY HENRY SHIMER, A. M., M. D. 



I have made the Apple Bark-louse an object of very careful study 

 for several years, for the purpose of becoming better informed of its 

 natural history; and to determine, if possible, upon some feasable plan 

 of destroying these highly injurious insects ; or to gain any informa- 

 tion that might be learned regarding its natural enemies, &c. 



The leading practical Entomologists of our country, have given 

 very poor satisfaction regarding the natural history of this very impor- 

 tant insect. Dr. Harris assures us that the young Bark-Iiee wander 

 about on the tree for ten days, and then attach themselves ; and that 

 there are two broods of them in a season. Dr. Fitch states that 

 ''these scales are the relics of the bodies of the gravid females, cover- 

 ing and protecting their eggs." (1st and 2nd Report Noxious Imacts, 

 Neiv York, p. 32.) Others state that the eggs are laid in a sack or 

 pouch, &c. 



JNJy observations contradict these statements, and I therefore give a 

 synopsis of them, extracted from my Notes of the present year, with 

 the dates of such of the observations as appear useful in defining the 

 true natural history of this insect. 



June 9, 1867. — A delightful, sunny morning, following several beau- 

 tiful days; thermometer at noon, 86° Fahr. At 9 o'clock, A. M., I 

 saw, by the aid of a pocket-lens, millions of young bark-lice running 

 about briskly over the limbs of the apple-trees, and on the leaves and 

 their petioles. This is the first day of their appearance on the bark; 

 whether they were hatched and remained a few days under the scale, 

 or not, I cannot say; but I believe that they were just hatched this 

 morning. 



Descrijytion of the yoxnrg '■'Apple Bark-louse." 



Form ovoid. Length .01; breadth .005; thickness .0025 inch. 



Color pale yellow, with a reddish-orange spot near each extremity. 



Two long, pliable, tapering hairs project backward from the posterior 



extremity of the abdomen ; these taper to a very slender point, and a.? 



TUAN.S. ami;r. ent. soc. (46) ja-nuauy, 1868. 



