230 



IN.Il'ICKMiS AND BENEFICIAL INSECTS <>K CALIFORNIA. 



Fig, 217.- -The mar- 

 gined Scymnus, Scym- 

 nus marginicollis Mann. 

 Adult female, enlarged 

 ten times, 

 illustration, 

 Kill.) 



THE MARGINED SCYMNUS 



Scymnus marginicollis Mannerheim 



(Fig. 217) 



Description.— The adults are small dull-black 

 beetles with reddish prothorax and head. On the 

 prothorax there i.s a black spot at the base in the 

 males and which occupies nearly the entire base 

 in the females. It is less than i inch long ami 

 distinguished from Lvndovus lopanthus by its dull 

 color, the latter being shiny. 



Distribution. — This is a native species common 

 throughout the entire State, especially along the 

 coast. 



Hosts. —The beetle feeds upon many species of 



aphids and coccids, and is especially destructive to 



(Authors the perniciosus or San dose scale in the north ami 



P. C. Jr. 



Fig. 218.— The cloudy 

 Scymnus, Scymnus 



to the red scale and purple scale in the youth. 



THE CLOUDY SCYMNUS 

 Scymnus nebulostts Leconte 



(Fig. 218) 



Description. -The beetles are exceedingly small, being less lhan 

 ' inch in length. They are somewhat elongated in shape and vary from 

 light to dark brown in color, with indistinct dark 

 markings. The larva 1 are covered with long', white, 

 cottony filaments. 



Distribution. — The cloudy Scymnus occurs 

 throughout the central and southern parts of the 

 State. 



Hosts. — The writer has collected the larva' of this 

 species in large numbers in the canyons of Ventura ^largld 8 five' time": 

 County, where they were feeding upon a small native (After Q«ayie, Cai. 

 plant louse (Eicliochaitophorns populifoUi Essig). gIC ' xp ' 

 Quayle reports it as feeding upon red and purple scale. It also preys 

 upon various species of mealy bugs, doing effectual work upon the 

 citrus species (Pscudococcus citri). 



THE SMALL BROWN LADYBIRD BEETLE 



Scymnus sordidus Horn 



(Fig. 219) 



Description. — This is a very small light brown beetle, scarcely more 

 than \ inch long and covered with light-colored pubescence. The eggs 

 are very minute and deposited in suitable feeding grounds. The larva 1 

 cover themselves with a thick coat of long, white, waxy flocculence and 

 greatly resemble mealy bugs. Though small they are voracious feeders, 

 especially upon the smaller species of plant lice and upon young scale 

 insects. The pupae are formed within the old larval skins. 



Distribution.— The beetle occurs throughout the entire State, but 

 is more abundant in the south. 



