52 CALIFORNIA STATE COMMISSION OF HORTICITLTURE. 



Epidiaspis piricola Del Giier. 



This species has become quite troublesome to pear-growers in the 

 Santa Clara Valley, and is often mistaken for the San Jose scale. It is 

 easily distinguished from that species by the male scale, which in this 

 species is of an elongated oval form and much flattened. A feeble 

 carina extends along the middle, but the sides are not carinated. The 

 color is white; the larval skin is light yellow and usually is about one 

 third the length of the scale, while in the San Jose scale the male scale 

 is nearly black and resembles the female scale in shape. 



The female scale is circular, dark ash-gray in color, with the margin 

 lighter, varying in color to nearly white. The exuviee are nearly cen- 

 tral, dark brown, naked and glossy. 



This species is subject to the attack of several species of Coccinellids 

 (ladybirds), which serve as a partial check to its increase. In some 

 sections the lime, sulphur, and salt spray is used against this species, 

 wdth good results. 



A plate showing the characters of the last abdominal segment, made 

 from specimens collected at San Jose, Cal., will be found on opposite 

 page. 



Aspidiotus aesculi Johns. 



Scale of Female. — Circular, rather convex; diameter 1.5 to 3 mm.; 

 color, dirty gray, conforming to color of bark; exuviae a little to one 

 side of center, and covered with excretion. In rubbed specimens the 

 protuberance indicating the position of the exuviae is orange-red and 

 surrounded by a band a little darker in color than the rest of the 

 scale; ventral scale delicate white, adheres to the bark. 



Scale of Male.— Klonga,te oval; 1 to 2 mm. long and half as wide; 

 darker than the female. Larval scale marked by a nipple-like promi- 

 nence between the center and the anterior margin; this is usually cov- 

 ered with a slight excretion, but when rubbed it is orange-red. Ventral 

 scale white, slightly thicker than that of female. 



Mature Male. — Yellowish; eyes and antennae prominent; body stout; 

 legs long, lighter yellow than rest of body; wings large; thoracic shield 

 with band distinct and with margins indistinct in some specimens. 

 Length, .60 mm.; style, .39 mm. 



Mature Female. — Ovate, rather plump; yellow, last segment a little 

 darker yellow. Four groups of spinnerets, number in each group ex- 

 tremely variable; anterior laterals, 5-17, average 10; posterior laterals, 

 4-11, average 7; number variable on opposite sides of same individual; 

 one pair of lobes, nearly as broad as long, notched on lateral margin 

 near the tip. Plates simple and inconspicuous, one usually just laterad 

 of the lobe and two between the second and third spines. Spines prom- 



