54 



the commission and inspectors ])oing- more or less jointly responsible 

 for the work done on this parasite and the information trained. As 

 pointed out by Mr. Jeffrey, the South African parasite prescnits su(;h 

 varied phases of development in diti'erent localities and situations, 

 under different scale conditions, that it is impossible to form accurate 

 conclusions without a thoroug'h study of its life history made in a 

 systematic manner. The general status of the distributions and 

 al)undance of the parasite and winter conditions are given by Mr. 

 Jeffrey, in letter dated March 7, as follows: 



From the 15tli day of last August to the 15tli day of January this oflice has dis- 

 tributed al)out 25,000 adult Hies. They were taken from a colony established upon 

 a pepper tree at Pasadena on the 26th day of August, 1902. During this period of 

 five months of <listril)ution the greatest activities occurred in August and I)e(!end)er, 

 32 per cent being sent out in Decendjer. You will notice that tlu^ tinui covered is 

 concurrent with that of the greatest development of the scale upon the pepper trees 

 from which we obtained our supplies. But the most active orchard work of the 

 flies must occur in the early summer, when tlu^ scale is in the egg stage upon the 

 citrus trees. 



From the first of January to the first of March the Scutellista entered a period 

 of greatest dormancy, in which a large portion died in the larva, pu])a, and adult 

 form. We are now breeding them again in large nund)ers. However, we noticed in 

 several orchards in sunny situations tlie insects working all through this time of 

 general dormancy as if it were midsununer, the orchards being in all cases young, 

 and, conseiiuently bearing scale in all stages of develoi)ment. 



From this we conclude that with the exception of a short tiiiH> in the cooler 

 weather the Rcntellista has no period of inactivity, but works in all cases where the 

 scale is in the egg stage. 



Mr. Maskew's notes, received with the above, are very interesting 

 and instructive, and are (juoted substantially as nn-eived below, and 

 are the result of instructions from the Horticultural C'onnnission of 

 Los Angeles Count}^ to make Aveekly observations on colonics li))er- 

 ated in his own inspection district: 



Octolwr 15. — A few ilies. Pupa- connnon but not numi'rous. Larvic (not identilied) 

 very abundant. 



Odolier 19. — Flies inore in evidence. Pupa- very abundant. Larv;c (not identi- 

 fied) becoming more scarce. 



Octoher SO. — Flies very innnei'ous; nund)ers of them to be seen njion the wood and 

 foliage. Old sc^ah^ showing evidence of a general exit. Pup:c under scale becoming 

 scarce. Larva; (not identified) in all sizes but more rare. 



Novcmlxr. — SnilclHKia ciianea was found in all three stages during cacli week of 

 this month, but upon a <liffi'rent class of host plant. The majority were found upon 

 horseweed, cocklebur, i)ei)i)er trees, and olive, about in the order named from a 

 numerical standpoint. Flies bred from parasitized black scale upon belladonna and 

 chili pepper taken dui'ing the month of Novend)er, proved to be Toiiiocerncalifornica, 

 A. iiijitild.'ipiiV.'^, and one unknown to me which had all the earmarks of a Procto- 

 trupid. 



December. — Scutellu^ta cyanca was found in all three stages during each week of this 

 month, principally upon pepper trees, weeds, and upon chili pepper. 



JaniKirii. — During each week of this month the jtarasite was found as follows: 

 Larvie very scarce, i)Ui);e and (lies al)undan1, particularly upon chili pepjK'r. A 



