April, '17] 



SMITH: MEALY-BUG PARASITE 



265 



reservoir of the egg contents at the time of deposition. It is certainly 

 not used as a breathing tube as is the case with many related parasites, 

 since the egg is not attached to the host, but is free in the host 's body 

 cavity. 



The Young Larva 



The newly-hatched larva is without distinguishing characters, being 

 transparent and with very indistinct segmentation, excepting that 

 what might be termed the cephalic segments are set off from the others 

 by a rather distinct suture, giving it somewhat the appearance of a 

 young Ichneumonid larva. The mandibles are exceedingly minute 

 and difficult to 

 see, even with 

 a high power 

 compound mi- 

 croscope. The 

 second stage is 

 similar to the 

 first excepting 

 that the ce- 

 phalic segments 



are more conspicuous, as are also the mandibles, and the caudal end is 

 more attenuate, giving it still more the appearance of a young Ich- 

 neumonid. The skin of this stage is roughened, making it appear 

 to be covered with minute tubercles. At the caudal end there 

 is frequently a darkened area which may be the first stage moult skin. 



Fig. 10. Parole ptomastix, Fig. 11. Paraleptomastix, 

 2d stage larva. (Original.) 2d stage, mandibles. (Orig- 

 inal.) 



The Mature Larva 



The full-grown larva is of the usual Encyrtid type, with nothing 

 characteristic excepting its mandibles. These are much larger and 

 more conspicuous than in the second stage and slightly different in 

 shape. It now rapidly devours the entire con- 

 tents of its host's body which is killed in the 

 process, the latter becoming much extended and 

 cylindrical in shape so that it is easily distin- 

 guished from a healthy mealy-bug. The host 

 now turns to an amber color and under the 

 microscope the larva may be observed through 

 the skin of the host. A condition is assumed 

 very similar to a "mummified" aphid. These 

 "mummies" are very characteristic and may be found in great clusters 

 in the cage or orchard where the parasite is abundant. 



Fig. 12. Paralepto- 

 mastix, last stage, mandi- 

 bles. (Original.) 



