THE NATURAL ENEMIES OF THE CITRUS 

 MEALY BUG IV 



E. O. ESSIG 

 HORTKlILTfRAL COMMISSIONER OF VENTURA COUNTY 



Among tilt' less iiii])ort;uit coccinullicls prtdacfous on the citrus mealy bug 

 should be included Rhhohiiis liipanthai- Blaisd., Hyperaspis lateralis Mul., and 

 Sci/7iinus sordidus Horn. Of these forms I have not been able to procure enough of 

 the larval stages in the orchards here to make a careful study or drawings, so am 

 simi)lv giving a short description of the adult forms, with illustrations, so that the 

 growers may know them whenever found. It will be remembered that these lady- 

 bird beetles are more efficient feeders on insect pests, other than the mealy bug, 

 but that they do much towards lessening the numbers of the latter. 



Rhizobius lopanthae Blaisdell 

 Rhizohitis ioowoomhae Blackb. 

 Seym mis marginicollis Mann. 



The adult form of this insect (Figure 166 B) is from 1.G6 mm. to 2.0 mm. in 

 length, and width from 1.1 mm. to 1.4 mm. Elytra uniform in coloration and 

 black throughout. Pronotum pale, with a median parabolic black spot at the base, 

 which is normal in the males throughout but much extended in the female, where 

 it involves all of the disk except the apical angles and a fine apical margin. 

 Surface polished, the pronotum evidently punctate, the punctures of the elytra 

 more or less coarse and distinct. The entire surface is densely covered with fine 



<g 



Figure 166 



A, Hyperaspis lateralis; 1^, Rhizobius lopantlKx; C, Scymnus sordidus. 



