OAK SCALE-INSECTS. 103 



53. Rhizococcus qtiercus Comst. 



(Plate XXIX, Fig. 2.) 



The following account of this scale insect is by Professor Comstock 

 (Agricultural Eeport, 1880) : 



Female. — The tubular spiiiuerets are more numerous thau iu B. arauca^-ice, and are 

 not confined to the margin of the body, but are distributed irregularly over the dor- 

 sum. They vary much in size and are curved and acuminate (Fig. 2 a). Tarsi less 

 than one-half as long as tibiae. Hair on trochanter nearly as long as femur. 



Male. — I have only oue specimen, which is much shriveled; this resembles B. 

 uraucarice, except that the ocelli are placed farther caudad of the eyes thau iu that 

 species. 



Described from 17 females, 1 male, and very many larvae, all mounted in balsam. 



Habitat. — On scrub oak at Rock Ledge, Fla. ; upon gall-berry, oak, and grass at 

 Fort George, Fla. (Dr. R. S. Turner). The sacs (Fig. 2) of this species, of which I 

 have very many specimens, very closely resemble those of B. araucarice. The sacs of 

 the female are all large, indicating that the species is naked till full grown. 



The following observations are from Prof. Riley's MS. notes: 



Specimens of this coccid were received March 29, 1882, from A. Koebele, Archer, 

 Fla., infesting both the trunk and twigs of live oak. Males were just issuing incon- 

 siderable numbers when received. Their color is reddish, eyes black, antennae and 

 legs paler red, thoracic band black. Wings faintly yellowish, somewhat iridescent, 

 with the veins slightly darker. The whole insect is covered with a delicate whitish 

 layer of a mealy excretion. The white anal filaments are longer than the whole 

 insect, including the antennae. The young females are dull greenish yellow. The 

 old females are purplish, and the eggs pale purplish. Some of the scales were in- 

 fested by Dakruma coccidivora, and others by the larvae of a Scymnus which were 

 feeding on the eggs. 



The following observations, which relate to this or an allied species, 

 are also copied from Prof. Kiley's MS. notes : 



March 1, 1830, received from Dr. J. H. Mellichamp, of Blaffton, S. C, some twigs 

 of Quercus mi/rtifoUa iufested by a coccid. The scales are white and have a silky ap- 

 pearance ; they are mostly oblong-oval in form, but sometimes shorter. The eggs 

 under these scales are regularly oval, whitish pink in color, opaque, semi-transparent, 

 without visible sculpture, and held together by short, interwoven threads that some- 

 what resemble cottou batting. The scales are found in clusters at the base of the 

 more slender twigs, others single, while a few stray to the leaves. One cluster of 

 these scales was infested by a lepidopterous larva about two-thirds of an inch in 

 length and of a dirty greenish-gray color. This larva kept concealed under the 

 scales and wherever it pierced them it closed up the holes with a delicate web. It 

 spun for itself a silken cocoon, March 3, at the bottom of the jar and issued on April 

 19. The eggs of the coccid hatched from the 6th to 20th of March. All died. 



54. Chionaspis quercus Comstock. 



(Plate XXVIII, Fig. 3.) 



This scale insect, according to Professor Comstock (Ag. Rep. 1880), 

 lives on white oak {Quercus lobata) iu San Fernando Valley, California. 



