131 



preventing the second moult of the scale from taking place. The first 

 moult of the parasite takes place at the same time that the scale 

 becomes a hght orange colour. The second larval stage and pupa 

 are described ; some adults emerge in 3 hours, others take more than 

 a day. The parasitised scales survive the winter in two forms : first 

 stage scales, which contain eggs of the parasite ; and second stage 

 scales, which contain first stage parasitic larvae. Parasites in first 

 stage scales reach maturity in from 36 to 39 days, the duration 

 of the hf e-cycle of the scales being from 33 to 40 days ; parasites 

 in second stage scales matured in from 19 to 23 days. The per- 

 centage of males to females seems to be about equal ; polygamy 

 is usual, but not polyandry. Observations show that oviposition 

 takes place all through the life of the first stage scale, that the majority 

 of the eggs are laid early in the hfe of the young scale and are developed 

 in mature second stage scales, while those eggs which are deposited 

 late in the life of the first stage scale hatch so late in the life of the second 

 stage that the scale would not be damaged enough to prevent it from 

 passing into the third stage. Although large numbers of the scales 

 may have eggs laid on them twice or more, only one parasite 

 matures in a single scale. Since the parasites pass the winter as un- 

 developed and partially developed eggs in the bodies of first and 

 second stage scales, winter spraying would kill both the scale and the 

 parasite. P. perniciosi has been reported from Massachusetts, Penn- 

 sylvania and the District of Columbia. The same fungi which attack 

 the scales also attack P. perniciosi in the larval and pupal stages, 

 and a number of confined parasites died from attacks of a species 

 of Empusa. The predaceous enemies of the scale, such as Microweisea 

 (Pentilia) misella, are incidentally destructive to the parasite in all its 

 stages of development except the adult, but the scale is in no way 

 controlled by this enemy. External parasites, as Aphelinus, destroy 

 both the San Jose scale and P. perniciosi. The adult parasites 

 show both positive geotropism and phototropism, and these reactions, 

 together with the instinct of the parasite to search for scales, doubtless 

 accounts for the scales on the smaller and outermost branches and 

 twigs of infested material being chiefly parasitised. 



Webb (J. L.). U.S. Bur. Entom. Notes on the Rice Water Weevil 



{Lissorkoptrus simplex, Say.) — Jl. Econ. Entom., Concord, N.H., 

 vii, no. 6, December 1914, pp. 432-438, 1 pL, 1 fig. 



The adults of Li'isorhoptrr(s simplex, Say, hibernate in dead grass 

 and emergence takes place in the spring, the earliest date observed 

 being 25th March. Dissemination from hibernating quarters probably 

 occurs at night, weevils not having been observed in flight by day. 

 The injury caused by L. simplex is described [see this Revieiv, Ser. 

 A, i, pp. 151-152]. The egg is laid longitudinally, just inside the 

 epidermis of a rootlet and the larva feeds on the inner joot-tissues. 

 The duration of the pupal stage is probably from one to two weeks, 

 the time occupied in reaching the adult stage from the egg being 38 

 days. Cage tests and field observations showed that at least a partial 

 second generation of L. simplex in a season is possible. Experiments 

 also indicate*! that, where a brood of weevils matures in early rice, 

 there will probably follow a second generation in late rice. A hst of 



