192 JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY [Vol. 6 



a citrus district in Arizona at Phoenix in June, 1912. Fortunately it 

 was confined to one rose bush with the exception of a few specimens 

 found on another rose a short distance away. A citrus tree fifty feet 

 away and other roses of which there were a great many were appar- 

 ently free from the insects. Prompt action was taken and it is 

 believed that the colony was exterminated. The infested rose bush 

 was brought to Phoenix from Pasadena, Cal., four years ago, before 

 the inspection of imported plants was provided for. In 1912 when 

 discovered the insects completely covered the larger branches of the 

 bush. I am informed by Professor Quayle that in his observation 

 citrus is the preferred food plant in California for the red scale. The 

 condition as noted in Arizona is not an indication, as it might appear^ 

 that here the rose is the preferred food plant, since the insects had 

 onlj'- recently spread to one of the nearby roses while many others 

 scarcely farther away had been neglected as absolutely as had the 

 citrus tree, so far as careful inspections could determine. Other scales 

 which should be mentioned are the Parlatoria scale (P. hlanchardi) 

 and the Marlatt scale {Phoenio coco ecus marlattii) both of which attack . 

 the date palm. These scale insects, imported from Africa, have called 

 into use the blast torch, an instrument which was privately exploited 

 as an insect destroyer some years ago. The usefulness of this means 

 for destroying the date palm scales, however, was demonstrated by 

 Director Forbes of the Arizona Station in experiments condu'cted in 

 1905, 1906 and 1907.^ 



Lepidoptera. The corn ear worm {Heliothis armigera), codling 

 moth (Carpocapsayjor^ioneZZa), alfalfa butterfly {Eurymus eurytheme) and 

 variegated cut worm {Peridroma margaritosa saucia) are about in 

 the order named the leading pests of crops in Arizona among the 

 lepidopterous insects. The marked preference of the larva of the 

 variegated cut worm for alfalfa over other food plants, as exhibited 

 in the Salt River Valley in 1911, was believed to be unusual. During 

 the past season a similar striking preference was exhibited by the 

 the same insect near Prescott and in the Little Colorado Valley, 

 both instances being at elevations a little over 5,000 feet. In the 

 case of the outbreak near Prescott, however, after the alfalfa was 

 cut the capability of the worms for destroying garden crops was 

 thoroughly demonstrated. 



In Arizona the eastern grape leaf skeletonizer (Harrisina ameri- 

 cana) is represented by related species {H. coracina and H. metallica). 

 One species in the caterpillar stage differs from the eastern species 

 by having cross bands consisting of blue dots but appears to have 

 feeding habits which are identical with its eastern relative. 



iBul. 56, Arizona Exp. Sta. pp. 199-203, (1907). 



