25 



Fig. 15. — Oleander scale (Aspkliotii.-^ Iiaiir:r), 

 illustrating a group of the female and male 

 scales as they occur on a leaf— enlarged about 

 7 diameters (original). 



The Oleander Scale. 



This species {Aspidiotus hederseY^X.) is not distinctively an orange 

 pest. It occurs on a great variety of plants and has a world-wide 

 distribution. It occasionally occurs on the lemon and orange, especially 

 in California, not apparently being so likely to attack this plant in 

 Florida. It is a very delicate scale, 

 with a very thin waxy covering, 

 and yields readily to treatment. It 

 frequently occurs on the oleander, 

 and is commonl}^ known as the 

 oleander scale (fig. 15). The male 

 scales are white and ver}^ greatly 

 exceed the females in abundance 

 (much more so than indicated in the 

 accompanying illustration). The 

 female scales are light buff in color 

 with a faint purple tinge, rather 

 than white, are two or three times 

 the size of the male scales, and rather larger also than the scales of 

 the species already described. The fruit of the lemon and orange is 

 often invaded by the females of this species. 



The Chaff Scale. 



With this scale insect {Parlatoria jpergandei Comstock) the molted 

 skins are at one end of the scale, as in the case of Mytilaspis, and the 



scale is oval or nearly circular, as in 

 the case of Aspidiotus. It is very apt 

 to be clustered thickly, often overlap- 

 ping on leaves or twigs and fruit, 

 giving the surface a rough appearance, 

 as though covered with loose chaff (fig. 

 16). In color the female scale is light 

 straw-yellow, the female insect show- 

 ing through, usually with a greenish 

 tinge. The number of generations 

 and life history correspond very 

 closely with the species already de- 

 scribed. As a rule, the chaff scale by 

 preference remains on the trunk and 

 branches, covering these portions of 

 the plant densely before going on the leaves and fruit. This fact 

 renders it somewhat less noticeable than the other species, and its 

 presence may, for a time, be overlooked. 



The chaff scale has been destructive, so far, onl}^ in Florida and the 

 Gulf region, having apparently been introduced from the Bermuda 



Fig. 16. — Chaff scale [parlatoria pergandei) , 

 illustrating a group of the female and 

 male scales as they occur on a -leaf — en- 

 larged about 7 diameters (original). 



