COOK, THE RED SCALE 



17 



can plan to fight them, while they are all young and more easily killed In 

 our warm climate, this regularity is likely to disappear. Other scale insects, 

 like the red, the yellow and the soft brown, are ovoviviparous, that is, no eggs 

 are ever laid, but the insects are born alive, and are active at once. We are 

 likely to find these in all stages of growth and development at any day or week 

 of the year. Of course, this makes their destruction the more difficult. 



NATIVITY OF THE RED SCALE. 



China has been claimed as the original habitat of the red scale. This may 

 or may not be true. The fact, however, as we shall see, that it feeds on a 

 great variety of food plants, has resulted in its being spread all over the 

 earth, so that now it is found on all continents, in New Zealand, Hawaii, and 

 many other islands. This fact is important, as it makes their introduction into 



Figure 12. Female of Chrysomphalus aurantii 



new localities more easy and probable. We are not surprised tlien to learn that 

 this pernicious scale is in every county of Southern California. Localities, like 

 Claremont, that are free from its ravages, should spare no effort to keep it 

 out ; those not so fortunate, should, for self-interest and good of neighbors 

 alike, be equally active to exterminate the pest in their orchards. Of course, 

 this is verv difficult, when the insects have become thoroughly distributed. 



DESCRIPTION AND LIFE HISTORY. 



The scale of this species is very minute, hardly larger than a small pin- 

 head, approximately circular if covering the female, and slightly elongate, in 

 the male. It is sufficiently transparent to show the insect beneath, and so, at 



