14 REPORT ON PARASITES AND PREDACEOUS INSECTS. 



these doing well, and there were plenty of beetles and eggs from which 

 small larva- were hatching and were at work upon the red scale. These 

 ladybirds had only been out on the trees sixteen days, and as they are 

 breeding there successfully, it is conclusive proof that the earlier impor- 

 tations had already deposited their eggs before they arrived. 



On September 2d, Mr. John Scott, Col. J. R. Dobbins, of San Gabriel, 

 Mr. Koebele, and I inspected the Dobbins orchard at San Gabriel, where 

 one of the first colonies of these insects was placed. These, too, arrived 

 in very feeble condition, and in fact, hardly any survived the trip. 



A later importation, which you sent Mr. Chapman, arrived in good 

 condition, but as they were liberated on large trees they had no doubt 

 flown over the orchard, where they will appear later on. 



On September 3d, Mr. Koebele and I visited Hon. Ellwood Cooper's 

 orchard at Santa Barbara. It was at this place that several species 

 were liberated in the open orchard immediately upon their arrival. 

 We found four species that have become well established, viz.: Orcus 

 chalybeus, Orcus australasia, Rhizobius ventralis, and a small Scymnodes. 

 Of all these we found beetles, eggs, larvae, and pupae. The trees upon 

 which they were placed are infested with black scale, and they are feed- 

 ing upon it. Mr. Cooper placed these insects in an orchard where he 

 considered the conditions as to temperature and protection from the 

 prevailing winds favorable for their colonization. 



On September 9th, I visited the orchard at Haywards, Alameda 

 County, where Mr. Koebele had himself placed several species. I 

 found beetles of the Orcus australasia and Rhizobius ventralis, appar- 

 ently doing well. At this place a muslin tent was placed over a lemon 

 tree where the Thalpochares coccaphagus, an enemy to the black scale, is 

 being bred. 



I placed a small colony of Orcus australasia and Rhizobius ventralis 

 upon trees infested with pernicious scale in Alameda, and upon exami- 

 nation two days ago we found beetles, larva?, and pupae. The larvae 

 have fed upon the scale and passed through their molts into well- 

 developed pupae, proving conclusively that they will prey upon it. 



The new Australian ladybird, Novnis Koebelei, of which only three 

 live insects were received last April, and which were bred in the office, 

 have multiplied very rapidly, and from these many thousands have 

 been distributed. The successful colonization of this ladybird has fully 

 sustained Mr. Koebele in the statement, that they are even better than 

 the Vedalia cardinalis in keeping the cottony cushion scale in check. 

 The colony of fifty which you gave Mr. John Scott, of Los Angeles, 

 have done well, and from those he has distributed several thousands, 

 and is well pleased with their work. 



From the foregoing it will be seen that five new species of beneficial 

 insects have been successfully introduced and become established in the 

 State, and while we cannot expect much benefit from them this year, as 

 time is required for those introduced to breed, I am confident that next 

 spring and summer they will be abundant, and colonies can then be 

 furnished to growers throughout the State. 



The unprecedented success of the Vedalia cardinalis has caused fruit 

 growers and others to expect immediate and similar results from all of 

 the new insects, but as the Orcus chalybeus and Orcus australasia have 

 only three generations, their increase will be slower; however, I feel 

 satisfied that the final result will be equally as satisfactory as with 



