258 



Insect Pests. 



In this insect no true scale is formed, what is called the scale 

 is merely the hardened skin of the female. 



It will breed in this country very rapidly under glass, and it is 

 important to kill it directly it is seen on the wood of the fig, before it 

 gets on to the leaves. 



THE CAMELLIA SCALE. 



(Aspidiotus camellia}. Signoret.) 



This limpet-shaped scale is often very common on cultivated figs, 

 and unless kept in hand will spread on them to a dangerous extent. 



The female scale is either oblong or 

 broadly pyriform, its colour varies from 

 reddish-brown to dusky brown, with the 

 so-called exuvium at the apex, paler in 

 colour ; there is a distinct pure white 

 lower scale. The latter remains on the 

 plant when the insect is removed; the 

 female is orange-yellow and the scale 

 reaches about T V inch in diameter. The 

 male is unknown. 



It occurs on many other plants, 

 such as the camellia, euphorbia, be- 

 gonias, myrtles, asparagus fern, but 

 only under glass in this country. 



It increases with great rapidity, there 

 being a succession of broods, reproduc- 

 tion always being parthenogenetic. 



THE NARROW FIG SCALE. 



( Lepidomplics ficus. Sign oret. ) 



This Coccid is sometimes found on 

 figs under glass. Morgan (1) refers to 

 it as having been found in abundance 

 on pot figs at the Royal Horticultural 

 Society's Gardens at Chiswick. The 

 plants had been imported from France 

 fifteen years previously. 



The scale much resembles that of 

 our Apple Mussel Scale, but that of the 



1, female scale OK g) ; 2, scales on ^^ . g ^ el ^ but narrower> 



FIG. 184,-cAMELLiA SCALE 



