93 



BUG VS. BUG. 



■¥f 



also feed upon aphids, young scale, etc. The beetles vary somewhat in 

 color; some are of a deep red, while others are of a dull brown, the 

 markings, however, being uniform. Sometimes after ripe fruit has been 

 punctured by birds or other agencies, the beetles of this species will be 

 found upon it, sipping the moisture, and on this account they have been 

 thought sometimes to be injurious. They are, however, among the most 

 important of our insect friends. 



Hippodamia ambigua, Le Conte. (Figs. 7, 8, 9.) This is a very 7-^ 

 abundant native species. The adult beetle resembles the blood-red fi^u 



ladybird somewhat, but is narrower in proportion to its length, and 

 flatter. It is distributed over the whole State, and is often found in 

 great numbers. It is an aphis enemy, and does excellent work on the 

 plum, apple, and woolly aphis. During the later fall months these 

 insects may often be found in sheltered places in great masses, in 

 which condition thev hibernate during the colder months. 



FK '/ > . ?, 



FIG. 7. Hippodamia ambigua, 

 enlarged. 



Hippodamia ambigua, 

 pupa. 



FIG. 9. Hippodamia ambigua, 

 larva. 



HYMENOPTERA. 

 Seutellista eyanea, Motsch. (Plate IV, Figs. 1, la, 16, lc.) This 

 is comparatively a new introduction into our State, having been secured 

 from South Africa, where it was found to be a very effective worker on 

 the black scale (Saisseta oleae) . In the short time it has been estab- 

 lished among us, it has done most remarkable work, and, so far, promises 

 to be as efficient a check for the black scale as the Vedalia has been on 

 the cottony cushion scale. Of its introduction, Mr. Craw writes : 



It was not until Prof. Charles P. Lounsbury, Government Entomologist of Cape 

 Colony, called attention to the Seutellista eyanea as an efficient enemy of the black 

 scale in that country, that its true value was recognized. 



Through the efforts of the Hon. S. F. Leib, of San Jose, and Mr. Ed. M. Ehrhorn, 

 of Mountain View, Senator Perkins appealed to the United States Department of 

 Agriculture to use its good offices toward securing this valuable insect. Several 

 colonies were forwarded to Mr. Ehrhorn. but, unfortunately, without any practical 

 results from either sending. On October 1, 1901, Professor Lounsbury wrote me: 



"By to-morrow's boat we start you two boxes containing cuttings of oleander 

 bearing parasitized scale. It is not ideal material by any means, and this is not the 

 season we most wish to send in, but the scale and its parasites are both so scarce 

 that we must send what we find as soon as we find it. Most of the scale in your 



