NOTE ON PHR FRl-DIXi; HABITS OF A LADYBIRD 



RAR\'A. 



Bv C. W. H. Smit. 



Every child is familiar with the ladvhinl. and in these days 

 of economic entomolog:>' practically every <.rardeiier recognises 

 in this pretty little insect a friend — the natural enemy of Aus- 

 tralian l)u<:;-. scale, aphis, and othei pests. Not least interesting- 

 is an inconspicuous little memher of the family. Scyiiuiiis 

 casstroiiii Muls.. a small hlack ladyhird ahout one-twelfth of an 

 inch in length, with two red marKings on each wingcase. the 

 whole wingcase heing covered with a light puhescence. I say 

 inconspicuous, hut this is true only as regards the adult stage ; 

 for in the larval stage the insect is conspicuous enough, heing 

 covered with a pine white wooll}' covering of wax Which gives 

 it a stt"ong resemhlance to mealy hug — in fact, it is very often 

 mistaken for that pest. and. T fear. recei\'es short shrift at the 

 hands of the enthusiastic gardener who discovers il on his 

 ])lants. It is noticeahle that the Argentine ant. which at once 

 attacks the ladyhird larva feeding on the rose aphis, does not 

 molest this jjarticular larva, possihly on accoimt of this resem- 

 blance to mealy hug. which the ant ])rotects. 



( )ur little friend feeds on the ajihis infesting the ])otato 

 creeper {Solanuui irciidlandii ) .ind the GarJcula. Douhtless 

 there are other plants sinn'larly favoured, hut I lia\e not hitherto 

 found specimens of the larva elsewhere. 



The life history f)f this ladyhird is. so far as m\- o])servation 

 goes, similar to that of (jther species. 'Hie hn-\a a|)])ears to cast 

 its skin three times 1)efore the final change, and numl)ers of 

 woolly sloughs of various sizes are to he found on leaves 

 frequented by the ladybird. When full grown, the larva, now 

 about one-fifth of an inch in length, attaches itself by the ])OS- 

 terior to .some suitable siu-face. .md pupates. .\b()ut three days 

 after attachmeiu ihe woolly covering s])lits longitudinally, and 

 the characteristic lad\bird pupa is re\'ealed. and seven davs later 

 the matiu'e in.sect e.Mricate^ itself frcni the v\\\y\ cast-. ' >ni- 

 ladybird which 1 watched ''merge, alter wandering about for a 

 while in the tube in which it was confined, retiUMied to its cast-off 

 woollv sheath, crept in, ;ind m.ide itself comfortable, remaining 

 there for a considerable iinu'. I ha\e since often observed 

 adnll ladybirds in eapti\il;. \\\w- hidden. As thi'\- are slv.- insects, 

 ])referring the under to the uppei- >urface of a leaf, and making 

 off as soon as they notice they are l)eing watched, 1 susjject the 

 ])upa case is resorted to lor eoneealment r.ather than for anv 

 other reason. 



It was the feeding habits of the lar\a which s])eciall\- at- 

 tracted mv attention. The adult lad\bird seizes the aphis and 



