The Avocado: Its Insect Enemies. 15 
Many also occur in the interstices of the leaf surface between the 
veins. The scale spends its entire life cycle on the foliage, only mi- 
grating to the twigs in order to reach and reinfest the newer growth. 
During May and June great numbers of the young scales migrate to 
the newer growth, but many are lost with the shedding of the older 
leaves at this time of year. However, a sufficient number become es- 
tablished on the new growth to perpetuate the species. There are 
several generations in a year, overlapping considerably. 
HOW IT MAY BE CONTROLLED. 
The same methods as recommended for the dictyospermum scale 
may be used in the control of this scale, handling the spray rods so 
as to reach the underside of the foliage and get the spray to the 
scales. 
Fig. 10.—The blossom Anomala: Adult beetles. About 23 times natural size. 
THE BLOSSOM ANOMALA. 
When the avocado is in bloom it may be visited in swarms by 
a beetle, the blossom Anomala, which may cause serious damage. 
Up to this time the writer has not observed this beetle to be gen- 
erally distributed at blossoming time, though it may be found 
present in groves in certain localities, while other groves escape. 
The following year the infested groves of the previous year may 
escape, and others may be visited by this blossom-devouring pest. 
The adult beetle* (fig. 10) has a black thorax with a yellowish 
border, the wing covers yellowish brown, with two cross-rows of 
ill-defined black spots, sometimes almost wanting. It varies in size 
from one-fourth to five-sixteenths inch in length. Variations of the 
color may occur, and the writer has found on a number of occasions 
nearly black forms. The species is closely related to the so-called 
May beetles. Up to this time the larva form has not been found. 
*Anomala undulata Mels. 
