266 POMONA COLLEGE JOURNAL OF ENTOMOLOGY 



Legs (Fig 106G) — Coxae longer than broad and much larger than the 

 femur. Yellow in color, and more or less hairy. Trochanter small, yellow 

 or dusky in color and hairy. Femur short and heavy. Dark in color and 

 hairy. Tibia about as long as femur, dark, with many hairs or spines on the 

 interior margin. Claw well curved, with a rounded process near the base. 



The larvae pass through four moults in their development. They exist 

 in the orchards here the year around, but during the months of January, 

 February, and March there were very few actually working. At this time 

 (April 12th) they are beginning to appear in great numbers and all are 

 actively working on the mealy bug. They reach their greatest efficiency 

 during the month of September, and then appear in the greatest numbers. 

 Last year none of their work was noticed until that time. Later, in the 

 last of October and the first of November they collected in great num- 

 bers in the cracks of the tree and on the trunks to pupate. The larval 

 stage, of course, is the beneficial stage — i. e., the stage when the insect preys 

 the most upon the mealy bug. It is also the stage of cannibalism, for the 

 larvae greedily devour the eggs and smaller larvse of their own kind. The 

 mealy bug is wholly devoured. The larvae when small, prefer, however, the 

 young or the eggs of the mealy bug, and the larger mealy bugs when it is full 

 grown. The benefits obtained from this insect in one year is wonderful, 

 though there have been few of them introduced. 



Pupa (Fig. 107 G) — The nymph is covered with the woolly, white skin 

 of the larva, and leaves this skin in perfect shape. One must examine all 

 the cases carefully to ascertain whether they contain nymphs or not. Color, 

 white, externally viewed, due to the larval skin which protects it. The body 

 proper is yellow, without any markings. Average length is 5 mm. (of the 

 body proper. Lateral margins of abdomen covered with areas of short, stout 

 curved spines. Figure 107 H shows one of these areas. The wing margins 

 and the posterior margin of the prothorax are also spiny. All of the spines 

 are simple. Dorsum of abdomen covered with scattering hairs or spines. 

 Anal appendages cylindrical and bluntly pointed at the apex. 



The nymphs first begin to appear in considerable numbers about the first 

 of October and continue to exist until the first of January. A few specimens 

 may be found at nearly any period except from February 1st to June 1st. 

 The larva crawls into any secluded place to pupate, but may also be found 

 in great numbers on the tree trunks. They have been found in dry leaves, 

 on tree props, under the scaly bark, and late in the fall great numbers fall 

 from the tree to the ground and pupate on the under sides of the dry clods. 

 On the tree trunks they are often massed in great clusters of several hundred 

 individuals. Quite a percentage of the nymphs do not develop, but dry up 

 and die. In some masses as high as 20 per cent thus perished. So far 

 as known nothing preys upon this insect here except the larva of its own 

 kind or of other ladybirds, but in these cases the pupa is generally safe. 



FlIiLD NOTE MADE AUGUST 17. 



We are at present finding plenty of eggs of Cryptolaemus tnontrouzlcri. 



