﻿THE CITRUS MEALY BUG 311 



is greatest. The following orchard notes serve to trace the general field 

 development in a badly infested orchard at Santa Paula. The notes begin 

 in the fall of the year 1909 and have been continued throughout the year 

 and should give field conditions accurately : 



Sept. 7, 1909. — Mealy bug beginning to show up very numerously. A 

 large number of immature and adult insects, but few egg masses. 



Sept. 30, 1909. — Egg masses becoming numerous in the navels and flower 

 end of the oranges, causing some of the navels to rot. Particularly bad in 

 two navel orchards and in a large 'seedling orchard. 



October 30, 1910. — Eggs masses abundant upon orange and lemon trees, 

 and upon the foliage and fruit. Trees becoming very black due to smut. 

 Lemons worse infested than orange trees. 



Nov. 24, 1909. — All through this month the mealy bugs seem to show up 

 more than at any other time. Great masses of adults collect on the fruit, 

 while the trunks of the trees are covered with masses of eggs. 



Dec. 1, 1909. — Navel oranges are badly infested and are rotting at the 

 navel end, because of the work of the insect. In many cases the injury 

 extends to the center of the fruit. A large percentage of the fruit is cracking 

 at the navel end and the rot is spreading. The McKevett orchard, though 

 fumigated last month, shows similar results, but the mealy bug has been 

 greatly reduced. 



Dec. 30, 1909. — Great numbers of egg-masses on the fruit and trunks of 

 the trees. Rainy weather does not seem to retard the development of the 

 mealy bug. 



Jan. 30, 1910. — Conditions of the mealy bug as bad as during the two 

 preceding months. Smut very bad because of damp weather. 



February 28, 1910. — Conditions in the lemon orchards very bad. Great 

 clusters of egg-masses on the fruit, leaves and branches. On the orange 

 trees the branches are covered with egg masses, which seem to be waiting 

 for spring to hatch. 



March 30, 1910. — Clusters of egg masses begin to disappear as the eggs 

 are hatching very rapidly. Still many clusters remain. Young are settling 

 upon the young growth. 



April 29, 1910. — Young mealy bugs appearing in great numbers. Masses 

 upon the tree trunks are breaking up and disappearing, but large clusters 

 remain between touching lemons. 



May, 30, 1910. — Young still hatching, hut not in very great numbers. 

 Egg-masses gradually disappearing. 



June 30, 1910. — All of the young appear to be hatched, except on the 

 fruit of some lemons, which were very badly infested. No living eggs re- 

 maining upon trunks of the trees. Young hard to find in the orange grove.->. 



July 30, 1910. — Only young individuals to be found and they ate be- 

 ginning to settle upon the young oranges. No full grown adults to be readily 

 found. No egg-masses at all. 



