77 



shaped, of a greyish white colour, with a yellow spot at the 

 narrow end. The male is smaller, of a clearer white colour, 

 and is altogether more conspicuous than the female. The 



sides of the male are 

 parallel, and there are 

 three distinct longi- 

 tudinal ridges. The 

 yellow spot at the 

 anterior end is present 

 in the male, as in the 

 female. It is not often 

 the principal scale in 

 any citrus cultivation, 

 but it sometimes hap- 

 pens that this is the 

 case, especially in dry- 

 situations, and it is 

 then very destructive. 

 Lady-birds and preda- 

 ceous mites are often 



Fig:. 83. Orange snow scale. to be found associated 



Enlarged. (Imperial Dept. Agnc.) with this scale? ftnd it 



is likely that they, together with the parasitic Hymenop- 

 tera, very materially affect the abundance of the snow scale. 

 There will often be seen patches, varying in size, of a black 

 substance in the midst of the white scale on the bark of 

 citrus trees. This is the black fungus (Myrianrjiiim Duriaei) 

 which is parasitic on this scale, and exerts a great influence 

 in keeping the pest in check. 



THE CHAFF SCALE (Pcirlatoria pergandei, Comst.). 



The chaff scale takes its common name from the 

 appearance of the scales on the bark. The straw-coloured 

 female scales and the shrivelled males give to a colony of 

 this insect a strong resemblance to chaff. 



The chaff scale is of much more recent occurrence in 

 these islands than either of the preceding. It is only 

 recorded from limes in Montserrat, and this record dates 

 from the end of 1910. The chaff scale has been known in 

 Florida for some time, and it is there considered a pest 

 of some importance. It is not known how far natural 

 enemies may control this sqale in the West ladies,. 



