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in small number of specimens, but all being engaged in feeding upon 
the Aspidiotus larve. Whether or not they feed also upon the Scales 
themselves has not been ascertained. Pentilia misella (family Coe- 
cinellide) and its larvee are very abundant on the infested trees and 
constitute an important enemy of the Scale. The imagos seem to prefer 
the full-grown female Scales, and the attitude they assume in attacking 
the same is quite peculiar. They stand astride over the Scale and 
elevate the posterior part of the body until they assume a_ nearly 
vertical position, being supported only by the head and the hind legs, 
which are extended to their full length. During this operation the 
head is pushed under the margin of the Seale. Thus practically stand- 
ing upon their heads the beetles devour the contents of the Scale. 
The larvee of the Pentilia were observed to feed on the Aspidiotus 
larve, and their mode of lifting up the Scales was not ascertained. 
No eggs of this useful little Coccinellid could be seen, and at first no 
pup were found until it was ascertained that the place of pupation is 
within the calyx of the pears. This cavity is always literally filled 
with a mixture of young and old Aspidiotus, full-grown Pentilia larvee, 
their pupz, and freshly issued imagos. But (as already observed by 
Mr. Hubbard) these Coccinellid beetles also serve aS a means of 
transporting the Aspidiotus larvie, and it is quite difficult to find one 
of these beetles which does not carry on its back at least one specimen. 
Sometimes three or four Aspidiotus larvee may be seen on a single 
elytron of a Pentilia. 
A small, black, shining ant (Monomorium minutum) is extremely 
abundant on the infested pears, evidently being attracted by the sac- 
charine excretion exuded from the cracks of the fruits. It has no con- 
nection with the Seale, but almost every specimen carries on the back 
one or more specimens of the Aspidiotus larvee. A few specimens of 
Typophorus canellus, red as well as black specimens, were on the pear 
trees, and here it was observed that on the red specimens no Aspidiotus 
larvee were carried about, while on the black specimens such larvee 
were seen. This preference of the Coccid larvie for the shining black 
iitsects is also corroborated by other instances. A large red ant (for- 
mica schaufussi) is also quite abundant on the infested pears, but does 
not carry about any Aspidiotus larvie; none were seen on the backs of 
the Collops, and only in a few instances I saw a specimen on the back 
oftthe Pentilia larva, which is of a dull olive-brown color. There were 
also a number of Hyphantria larvee on the pear trees, but no Aspidi- 
otus larve could be seen on them, although the web of the single nest 
I saw had captured a large number of young Aspidiotus. 
Finally, I would state that besides this Pentilia not a single other 
Coccinellid could be seen on the trees, and it appears to me that the 
complete absence of the common Chilocorus bivulnerus, which is by far 
the most effective enemy of Scale insects in Florida, is more especially 
a fact worth recording. 
