ORANGE PESTS 



1495 



mer. when the stale increases enormous- 

 ly and may do sreat damage. 



Food Plants 



All citrus trees. Acacia baileyana, 

 Acacia melanoxylon. pomegranate, quince, 

 apijle, peach, apricot, fig, walnut, locust, 

 willow, pepper, grape, rose, castor bean, 

 spearmint, rose geranium, purslane, am- 

 brosia, flowering almond, pecan, potato, 

 Bermuda grass, 



Control 



Artificial control by sprays and fumiga- 

 tion are never practiced because of the ef- 

 ficiency of natural enemies. This is the 

 one case where nature controls perfectly 

 a serious pest. 



Predaeeous Enemies 



The common Vedalia INovius cardin- 

 alls) and the Koebele's ladybird (Novius 

 koebelei) are the ladybird beetles which 

 keep the cottony cushion scale in com- 

 plete subjection. In many localities the 

 former is the most efficient, but in some 

 places, and especially in Ventura county, 

 the writer found the latter doing most of 

 the control work. 



While these ladybirds are usually pres- 

 ent In limited numbers in most sections, 

 yet at times they completely disappear 

 and the cottony cushion scale increases 

 so as to cause considerable damage before 

 the beetles can again be established. It 

 is always well to keep a close watch of 

 this pest, and if it appears without being 

 accompanied by the larvae of the Vedal- 

 ias, adults of the latter should be obtained 

 and liberated as soon as possible. 



True Parasites 



There are two true parasites which also 

 prey upon this coccld: the hymenopter- 

 ous enemy, Ophelosia crawfordi. and the 

 dipterous parasite, Crytochaetum, (Les- 

 toplronus) iceryae Will. The latter is of- 

 ten responsible for as much effective work 

 as are the Vedalias, though this fact is not 

 generally known. 



Cottony Maple Scale. See Apple Pests. 



Florida Wax or White Scale 



Ceroplastes floridertsis Comst 

 General .Vppearanee 

 White or pinkish waxy scales, oval in 

 form, convex above and concave beneath. 



from one-twelfth to one-eighth of an inch 

 in diameter. The upper surface is evenly 

 and beautifully lobed. The body is red 

 and seen through the white wax gives the 

 pinkish color. 



life History 

 The eggs, one-hundredth of an inch long, 

 are dark red and vary from 75 to 100 to 

 each female. The young hatch beneath 

 the scale and soon after leaving settle to 

 feed, first upon the leaves, and then upon 

 the stems and smaller branches. The 

 wax shell forms with the growth of the 

 females. There are from three to four 

 broods a year, covering a period from 

 April to November. 



Distribution 



Very limited in hothouses. 



Food Plants 



Citrus trees, quince, apple, pear, fig. 

 Control 



It is seldom that this insect becomes 

 so numerous as to be destructive, but this 

 has occurred. Spraying should be done 

 before the waxy covering is formed. 

 Resin wash or kerosene emulsion are rec- 

 ommended. 



Fluted Scale. See Cottony Cushion 

 Scale, this section. 



Frosted Scale. See Prune Pests. 



Fuller'.s Rose Beetle. See Rose Pests. 

 under Floriculture. 



GIOTer's or Long Scale 



Lepidosophes (jloverii Pack. 

 General Appearance 



Greatly resembles the purple scale, Le- 

 pidosaphes beckii, but is much straighter, 

 longer and very narrow. The color is also 

 somewhat lighter. 



Life History 



Practically the same as the purple scale, 

 but not so prolific or destructive. 



Food Plants 



Citrus trees, foliage and fruit; palms 

 and Magnolia fuscata ars attacked. 



Control 



Same as for purple scale. 



