SCTKFY SCALE 



73 





Life History and Habits. They hatch in May or early June. 

 Like the preceding species, the young seek new locations on the 

 same tree, and, becoming fixed, insert their beaks in the bark. 

 The complete scale excreted from the body of the insect gradually 

 covers it. By the middle of August the female scale has become 

 transformed into a mass of eggs under the scale, and, day by day, 

 as these are laid, her body shrivels until, finally, it becomes scarcely 

 noticeable at the end of the scale. Male scales are smaller than 

 the female and are seldom seen (Fig. 94). 



The young scale retains the power of motion only a few days 

 after hatching, and does not spread far, if nothing intervenes to 

 help it. It may be spread 

 by being carried on the feet ^ A, ? 

 of birds or large insects, and 

 nursery stock should be care- ^ 

 fully examined for it. It is 

 a striking fact that a tree 

 may be thickly covered with 

 this scale and yet not seri- 

 ously suffer, while a half or 

 a quarter of that number of 

 San Jose scale insects, if 

 present, will cause the death 

 of the tree. 



Control. Use lime- 

 sulfur spray in the dormant 

 season as with the San Jose 

 scale. 



The Scurfy Scale (Chionaspis furfurus Fitch). This scale is 

 quite common on apple trees. The female's scale is oblong, taper- 

 ing to almost a point at one end; grayish white in color and about 

 one-tenth inch long. The male scale is much narrower and smaller 

 (Fig. 95). There is only one brood a year. The eggs are purplish- 

 red in color. They remain under the old female scale during the 

 winter and hatch in early spring. The young move a short distance 

 on the trees and settle down permanently. The scale covering 

 begins to develop soon after. 



Control. The lime-sulfur should be applied in late winter or 

 early spring. The lime-sulfur solution does not appear to kill the 

 eggs of this insect, and its application should be made just before 

 the buds open in spring in order to catch the young larvae. Or 



FIG. 95. Scurfy scale: a, twig infested with 

 female scale; 6, twig infested with male scales; 

 c, female; d, male. 



