CALIFORNIA CITRUS CULTURE. 



51 



INJURIOUS CITRUS INSECTS. 



Insects are not so minute and obscure as are fungi, and their pestif- 

 erous work is much better understood. However, their ravages are often 

 alarming. It is stated that by very conservative estimate the amount 

 expended annually in California in insect control reaches the startling 



FIG. 26. Adult females and egg masses of the citrus mealy bug 

 (Pseudococcus citri) on orange. (Essig, P. C. Jr. Ent. ) 



sum of one million dollars. The damage wrought by their attack doubt- 

 less far exceeds the million dollar mark. The United States government 

 estimates the damage by the pear thrips alone in California for the 

 last seven years at seven million dollars, 



