574 



INJURIOUS AND BENEFICIAL INSECTS OF CALIFORNIA. 



the undersides of the legs rich reddish-brown ; thorax metallic black ; 

 abdomen metallic bluish-black with brown spot near the base; upper 

 portions of legs and tips of antenna? black and the latter distinctly 

 hairy. The wings are dark with short fringes. The males are metallic 

 black ; bases of antenna; brown and tips black ; all parts of legs, except 

 black hind tibia?, are amber; wings perfectly clear. 



Distribution.— The black scale parasite is abundant in most of the 

 southern citrus growing sections of the State. 



Hosts.— The larva? work upon the eggs and young of the black scale, 

 Saissetia olece (Bern.). In the year 1913, Mr. R. S. Vaile, then Horti- 

 cultural Commissioner of Ventura County, reported that this parasite 

 had wrought great execution upon the black scale in certain citrus 

 orchards near Ventura. 



THE SCUTELLISTA 



Scutellista cyanea Motschulsky (Family Pteromalidse) 

 (Fig. 373) 



Description. — The adult is a small four-winged parasite, less than 

 inch long, robust and metallic steel-blue to nearly black in color. 



Life History. — The small, oblong, white eggs are placed under the 



black scales. They are somewhat 

 larger than the eggs of the scales 

 and hatch in from five to six 

 days into crescent-shaped, white, 

 legless larva?, which feed upon 

 the eggs of the black scale for 

 fifteen to twenty days, when 

 they pupate, and after another 

 like period emerge as adults 

 from the shells of the scale 

 through circular holes cut for 

 this purpose. The adult lives a 

 little over a week. 



Distribution.— The Scutellista 

 occurs throughout the State, 

 where the black scale is found 

 ■in any considerable numbers. 



Hosts. — This parasite was 

 introduced from Africa, to prey 

 upon black scale, Saissetia olece 

 (Bern.). It often becomes very 

 abundant, attacking upwards of 

 90 per cent of the scale, but it 

 has nowhere diminished the 

 :*, scuteiusta cyanea sca ]<\ to an appreciable extent, 



Motsch. Adults, face and antenna, very greatly and ClOes not anywhere prevent 

 enlarged. (After Howard, U. S. Dept. Agric.) the necessity for f umi gation. It 



also works on the hemispherical scale, Saissetia hemisplicerica (Targ.). 



