﻿2S4 POMONA COLLEGE JOURNAL OF ENTOMOLOGY 



In the late fall, during the months of October, November, December, 

 and on into January, the mealy bugs and their eggs are massed in great num- 

 bers all over the tree and fruit. Spraying during these months is somewhat 

 difficult, but these are the advantages : 



L Nearly all of the eggs which would produce new broods for the 

 coming year would be destroyed. While the young continue to hatch through- 

 out the entire year, there is a period in the spring when the egg masses, which 

 were deposited in the fall, hatch and the young come forth in great numbers 

 just in time to attack young growth. Therefore spraying in the winter 

 is very effective in preventing these spring broods. 



2. In the winter the lemon tree has its minimum amount of foliage, 

 the tree is more open and ofifers greater opportunities for effective spraying, 

 especially in respect to the large limbs, upon which are massed the most 

 of the eggs. 



3. In the winter months the tree will stand more than in the spring 

 months. This was demonstrated by the Lime-Sulfur spray, which killed the 

 new spring growth and did no injury at all to the tough, leathery growth of 

 the winter. The hot weather in the summer is injurious to a sprayed tree. 

 It has been proven that a tree cannot stand near as strong a mixture of 

 distillate and water in the summer time as it can in the winter. This is 

 true to a great degree with regard to any spray. 



As was pointed out above, the young begin to appear in great numbers 

 as soon as the new growth starts. These young insects seek first the 

 tender growth and the young fruit buds. Upon the former they settle indis- 

 criminately while on the latter they settle just around the base of the young 

 fruit. I have counted as many as ISO individuals around a single young 

 lemon. 



At this period all infested trees should be given a liberal application, 

 in order to preserve the new growth and setting lemons ; the greater number of 

 the latter will soon drop unless the pests are removed. In case the fruit ma- 

 tures, the mealy bugs develop with it until, when it is ready to pick, it is so 

 scarred as to be fit only for third grade when it might have been first. 

 While the carbolic acid emulsion did spot the younger, reddish growth, no 

 material damage was done at this period, which should prevent spraying. 

 Later in summer, after the young growth hardens a little, is a more favor- 

 able time to spray, except that the foliage is very dense and thorough work 

 difficult. 



WHiat has been said above pertains particularly to the lemon trees. The 

 oranges shall now be considered. 



Navel Orange Trees: Mealy bugs usually show up in the greatest num- 

 bers in the navel end of the fruit. In fact this may be the only place where 

 they can be found. Here they find the skin thin and are able to extract the 

 juices easily while at the same time the navel afifords secure protection. In 

 half-grown oranges, I have found the insect working nearly to the center of 

 the fruit. As they work in, the female deposits her eg-gs behind he:, 

 thus completely closing the end of the orange. In a single navel thousands 



