610 



Pomona College Jouhnal of Entomology 



icola Koch., which it sccnis to ijrtfcr to all otlitr apliids. There are millions of the 

 eggs, larva", pupae and adults to be found in every walnut orchard in Ventura 

 County and large numbers are found in the citrus orchards in the early spring 

 before the walnuts begin to leaf o\it. It is by far the most important beneficial 

 insect of the three herein described. 



Scymus sordidus Horn. 

 (Figures 198 D and 20'2) 



This is one of the smallest of the aphid feeders, but very common in localities 

 near the foothills, where it feeds especially upon Aphis gossypii Glover. 



The larva is considerably larger than the adult, being nearly a quarter of an 

 inch long and half as wide. It is easily recognized by its heavy coating of rather 

 long, white, cottonj' wax and is often mistaken by citrus growers for a mealy bug. 



Figure 202. Larva of Scymnus sordidus 



The adult is scarcely more than one-eighth of an inch long and two-thirds as 

 wide, light brown to very dark brown in color, and with elongated body. It is 

 technically described by Thos. Casey (See P. C. ,Ir. Ent. Vol. Ill, \o. 3, |). .j'iO, 

 Sept. IJ^Il) briefly as follows: "Body elongate oval. Length l.(i;) mm., width 0.9 

 mm. Pronotum piceous, minutely, not very closely, piinctulate, the sides not quite 

 continuous. Elytra pale, with margins nubilously blackish, more broadly at base, 

 finely and rather closely punctate. Abdominal lines extending outward externally 

 parallel to the edge of the segment and a slight distance therefrom, prosternum 

 relatively slightly wider between coxae, flat and whollv dcMiid of earnia'; genital 

 or 'sixth' ventral segment, usually develo|)ed." 



Tiiis insect is a native of California and especially abundant in the southern 

 citrus counties, where it also docs good work on the citrus mealy bug. 



