ICERYA PURCHASI. 91 



MEANS OF PREVENTION OF INCREASE. 

 Insect Enemies. 



The carnivorous larva or maggot of a species of 

 Chrysopa or Lace-winged Fly, or " Golden Eye," and 

 also the grubs of a Coccinellid or Ladybird, have been 

 observed by Mr. Bairstow to do much good by destroying 

 the young Australian Bugs, just at hatching time, within 

 the sac of the female. 



Of these Mr. Bairstow says : " The Coccinella is by 

 far our best friend. It is proving a perfect god-send in 

 destroying the perfected young in nidus of the female 

 'Bug.' The larva buries itself in the gravid female 

 and completely destroys her progeny, the dead carcase 

 falling to the ground ; and it eats the ' Bug ' not only 

 when it is young, but when it (the Coccinella} has 

 developed to beetle condition. I have taken as many as 

 five or six young Bugs out of the inside of one of these 

 Coccinella or Ladybird Beetles. The changes from 

 grub to beetle are rapidly passed through, as with other 

 Coccmellidfe" 



Its efficacy cannot be over-estimated, and an im- 

 portation of the Coccinella to infested regions would be 

 certain to be of service. S. D. B. 



This species of South African Coccinellid is of the 

 size and shape figured, and may be generally described 

 as black, with a blood-red spot in the centre at the base 

 of the wing-cases, and clothed with thick short down 

 above ; the under side and legs reddish, and also downy. 



As this "Ladybird" does not appear to have been pre- 

 viously described, I placed it in the hands of Mr. Oliver 

 E. Janson, of London, England, who 

 was good enough to examine it for 

 me ; and on it proving to be a species 

 as yet undescribed of the genus Rodolia n 



Rodolia, it has appeared desirable to 

 mark it by a specific name pointing to its serviceable 

 habits of destruction of the Icerya as the Rodolia iceryce, 



