10 Aug., 1916.] Insect Pests of the Gardens. 



495 



INSECT PESTS OF THE FRUIT, FLOWER, AND 

 VEGETABLE GARDEN. 



AND HOW TO TREAT THEM. 



with, 



By C. French, Jnr., Government Entomologist. 



(Continued from page 438.) 



The Dark-Purple Wattle Scale. 



(Mealy Bug.) 



Unfortunately, growers of wattles have another native pest to contend 

 namely, the dark-purple wattle scale (mealy bug) 



Fig. 16.— The Dark-Purple Wattle Scale 



{I'sriiiloiixiiis iilhiz:.:r. .M;is!cll). 



have Vjeen 

 the red o 



oljtained by 

 il in places 



scale (mealy bug). This for- 

 midable insect was first dis- 

 covered on the so-called 

 cape wattle, but it now at- 

 tacks all kinds of wattles 

 planted in gardens and 

 plantations. In general ap- 

 pearance it is black and 

 white, but upon closer ex- 

 amination it may be seen 

 that it is of a dark-plum 

 colour, almost black, with a 

 white margin, the female 

 being covered with a cottony 

 secretion. The larvae are 

 singular-looking insects; at 

 certain seasons of the year 

 they simply swam over the 

 affected trees, and from 

 thence are easily distributed 

 by means of plants, and 

 possibly, by birds carrying 

 them on their feet trom 

 tree to tree. When a tree 

 is badly affected, the 

 hrauciies become black and 

 dirty looking, and if the 

 pests are left unchecked they 

 will soon kill the tree right 

 out. This pest is now 

 spreading to orange trees, 

 so growers sliould be on the 

 lookout, as it is certainly a 

 most destructive species. 

 IManv remedies have l>een 

 tiic^l. and good results 

 using the kerosene emulsion < n large trees, and 

 where there are onlv one or two small trees. 



