INJURIOUS AND BENEFICIAL INSECTS OF CALIFORNIA. 



227 



In the male the front tip of the pronotun 

 hall' of the abdomen in both sexes is dull rec 



is yellow. The posterior 

 The larva is Light yellow 

 or amber with dark head 

 and d a r k markings 

 on the dorsum of the 

 thorax and abdomen, as 

 shown in Fig. 212. The 

 spines are long, forked 

 and black. The length 

 when full-grown is 

 nearly g inch. The pupa 

 greatly resembles the 

 larva in color, but is 

 distinctly wider. The 

 eggs are elongate with 

 pointed ends and with 

 a noticeable projection 

 of secretion on the 

 apical end. They are 

 light yellow and laid in 

 loose clusters, attached 

 by one end. 



Distribution. — This 

 species was originally 



Fig. 212.— The steel-blue ladybird beetle, Orcus Aie+nhiitprl tlirmiolimit 



chalybeus (Boisd.). Larvae, pupae and adults, en- U1SI1 limiea XnroUgnOUT 



Iarged three times. Specimens collected at Carpin- £he entire southern Dart 



teria by C. W. Beers. (Original) ,. , , .,, , , . . 



oi the State, but is now 

 almost entirely confined to the districts around Carpinteria, in Saul a 

 Barbara County, where it is well estab- 

 lished. It was introduced into California 

 by Albert Koabele. 



Hosts.— This beetle feeds upon many 

 armored coccids, including red s c a 1 e 

 (Chrysomphalus aurantii), yellow scale 

 (Chrysomphalus citrinus) , Chrysomphalus 

 rossi, purple scale (Lepidosaphes beckii), 

 pernicious or San .lose scale (Aspid/iotus 

 perniciosits) and blaek scale (Saissetia 

 olece). 



THE STRIPED LADYBIRD BEETLE 



Pa in an in in vittigera (Mannerheim) 



(Megilla vittigera Mannerheim) 



(Fig. 213) 



Description. — The beetles vary from 

 straw or light pink to almost bronze and 

 have black heads, legs, two black irregular 

 blotches on the prothorax and three black 

 longitudinal stripes on the wing covers. They are about j inch long. 



Distribution. — The adults hibernate in quite large colonies and are 

 found in most sections of the Stale, especially in the southern part. 



Fig. 213. — The striped lady- 

 bird beetle, Parcmwmia vitti- 

 gera (Mann.). Enlarged three 



I inns. (Original) 



