Pomona College Journal cu' Entomology 393 



rapidity as to make their capture almost impossible. In the breeding cages they 

 arc easily taken by means of a small bottle. 



The first colony, numbering 20 adults and 40 larva; was brought to my 

 office on the 27th day of July, 1910, by Geo. Compere. They were imme- 

 diately placed in a breeding cage and quantities of food placed at their dis- 

 posal. The first brood from the larvae appeared the last of September and 

 in October enough were out to make a liberation in the field. Another 

 increase, in the form of a second brood, appeared in December and a third 

 during the month of January. These broods were not clear cut, but distinct 

 in the emerging of a large number of adults at one time. 



To date, January 20th, the following numbers have been removed from the 

 breeding cage : 



1910. 



October 17 7 individuals. 



19 -. 33 



24 43 



November 23 25 



24 50 



December 5 12 



15 10 



1911. 



January 6 30 



20. 200 left in cage (Larvje, pupje, and adults). 



This will give a fairly accurate account of the rate of increase that might 

 be expected of this insect. 



The first colonies were placed in the field in October on an isolated in- 

 festation of mealy bug. Since then three of the above colonies were also 

 liberated on this tree. A close watch has been kept of the tree. Because 

 of the lateness of the season or unfavorable weather, the insects did not 

 do well in the open. To date none of the larvae or adults can be found. 

 Perhaps with the coming of summer the infestation of mealy bugs will be 

 entirely cleaned up. I shall not be in a position to give authentic data con- 

 cerning the field work of this ladybird beetle until next fall, when I shall 

 again record its progress. Sufifice it at the present time to give the testimony of 

 others who have written concerning this insect. 



Mr. Jeffrey, State Commissioner of Horticulture, has written of it ; 



"George Compere has just returned to Sacramento from China, Japan 

 and the Philippines, bringing over a large collection of predacious insects 

 and Hymenopterous parasites of the mealy bug. There were fifteen packages 

 in all, many of them inclosing large plants bearing hosts of mealy bugs 

 and their enemies. We have been disappointed so often with these im- 

 portations that no estimate of the effectiveness of these new beneficial insects 

 will be made. Disappointments, however frequent, do not justify the abandon- 

 ment of researches of this kind, but the work must be kept on and on as 

 long as there is the slightest hope of results, for in the case of the mealy 

 bug there seems no hope of control by mechanical appliances. This renders 



