102 FIFTH KEPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL COMMISSION. 



eriug the larval skin near the anterior enfl. This scale is of the same color as that of 

 the female. 



Length, a little more than 1™"" (.04 inch) ; breadth nearly ^"i™ (.02 inch). 



Hahiiat. — On the bark of the limbs of willow oak (Quercus phellos) at Washington, 

 D. C. 



Described from forty females and very many scales of each sex. 



The scale of this species resembles very much that of Aspidiotus tenehricosiis which 

 occurs on red maple. That scale, however, is much more convex than this one, and 

 its diameter is only one-half as great. 



52. Asterodiaspia querdcola (Bouch^). 

 (Plate XXVIII, Fig. 4.) 



The females of this genus resemble those of Asterolecanivm Targ.- 

 Tozz. Around the lateral edge and upon the dorsum are spinnerets^ 

 which secrete a fringe which persists upon the sides but which upon the 

 back melts down and forms a continuous whole, which constitutes in 

 the old individuals a hard and consistent shield, slightly iridescent, 

 which covers the whole insect. When the females have deposited their 

 eggs the body shrinks up into the cephalic end of the covering so that 

 there appears to be only a sac inclosing the eggs, which one would nat- 

 urally take to be the body of the female. The male scale is of a long 

 oval, with a weak median carina, and showing under the microscope 

 an elegant fringe around the edge similar to that of the female scale. 

 (Comstock, 1880.) 



AduU female. — Of a dark brown or a clear yellow color, nearly round in outline, fur- 

 nished at the anal extremity with a rounded lobule and above with transverse 

 strite, which represent the abdominal segmentation. Diameter from 1""" to 2"'"\ 



The skiu is covei'ed with quite a large number of tubular spinnerets. The circum- 

 ference of the body is ciliated withia fine radiating fringe secreted by openings upon 

 the edge of the body. This fringe is double, formed of a row of large tubes joined 

 together two by two, secreted by double openings, and another row, smaller, secreted 

 by smaller openings placed below the others. 



These insects are very closely applied to the bark, forming for themselves, in fact 

 slight depressions, so that it is very di£6cult to lift them. Occasionally, however, 

 one of the yellow scales (in which the body of the insect has shruukeu up to the eud) 

 is slightly elevated a^ one side, perhaps to allow for the exit of the young. On lift- 

 ing one of the scales there remain upon the bark floury marks corresponding to the 

 stigmata. 



Male. — The male scale is of a long oval, l""'" in length by .6™"" in width ; of a clear 

 brilliant yellow with a weak median carina, and with a fringe similar to that of the 

 female. 



The male is brownish yellow upou the head and thorax, and of a clearer yellow 

 upon the abdomen, the base of which is a little darker ; the antennas and legs almost 

 black, the prothorax and mesothorax darker than the rest, the transverse band of the 

 metathorax perfectly black, as well as the eyes. The wings are large and of a trans- 

 parent whitish gray. The abdomen is large and rounded ; the stylet is dark yellow 

 and .35"i"> long. 



HaUtat.—\]\>o\\ the imported oaks on the Department of Agriculture grounds at 

 Washington. Only the females were found and the male description is taken from 

 Signoret. The species is not a common one in Europe, but is occasionally quite de- 

 structive to an individual tree. (Comstock, 1880.) 



