264 



Kingston, are very delicate and harmless-looking creatures, but 

 their larvae are extremely voracious and as they live upon 

 injurious insects, they are very useful. 



COLEOPTEEA. 



The many beetles now recorded as attacking Coccidse belong 

 almost entirely to the family CoccineUidce, or lady-birds. They 

 are great helps to the gardener, and should be encouraged in 

 every way ; their appearance is so Avell known that there is no 

 occasion to describe them. 



DiPTERA. 



Two or three species of true flies have been found to be 

 parasitic on scale-insects ; but no instance of this sort has been 

 observed in Jamaica. I have, indeed, bred numbers of a new 

 species of Cecid fly (Biplosis coccidarum n. sp.) from scale-insects 

 found in Kingston, but I believe that this breeds merely in the 

 secretions and old skins of the Coccids, being thus a guest or 

 inquiline, rather than a parasite. 



Hemiptera. 



A few species of true-plant bugs are known to prey upon 

 Coccidse. 



Arachnida. 



Some species of mites have been found to destroy Coccids. 

 In Jamaica, small mites are frequently found associated with 

 scale-insects, but I have not ascertained that they do them any 

 injury.* 



How CoCCIDiE ARE SPREAD BY HUMAN MEANS. ^ 



The injuries due to Coccidfe have probably been much more 

 ■ than doubled by the way they have been cai ried from one 

 country to another on plants. It is a well-known fact that many 

 species of animals and plants thrive more in foreign countries than 

 in their native land ; and the reason of this is, that they are, 

 through the change of locality, removed from most of their 

 natural enemies and competitors. The fluted scale, Icerya fur- 

 clcasi, is a well-known example. When introduced into Califor- 

 nia from Australia, it multiplied enormously, and became a far 

 more serious pest than it had been considered in its native 

 country. It was, indeed, attacked in its new home by a few 

 insects, but they were quite insufticient to keep it in check. Mr. 

 Koebele went to Australia to look for the natural enemies of the 

 fluted scale, and found the scale itself quite rare there, being 

 attacked by very important enemies, some of which he brought 



• Certain fungi are found on dead scale insects ; such as Microcera 

 coccopliila, Mont ; found by the writer associated with Aspidiohts articnlatus 

 on Citrus at Moneague. 



