CHAPTER XIV 



INSECT ENEMIES OF THE GREENHOUSE AND HOUSE 

 PLANTS, AND OF THE FLOWER GARDEN 



THE growers of flowers for home adornment, as well as the 

 commercial florist, often make use of a greenhouse conservatory 

 or of other indoor places for plants a part of the year. A number of 

 insect enemies cause much trouble to these plants, either indoors 

 or outside. In this chapter such enemies are divided into two 

 groups: (1) those most troublesome inside, and (2) enemies of 

 the flower garden. 



INSECTS OF THE GREENHOUSE AND ON HOUSE PLANTS 



Among the insects found in greenhouses occur one or more 

 species of mealy bug, greedy scale, rose scale, white fly, green- 

 house leaf roller, "red spider/' and various aphids or plant lice. 

 Last, but by no means least, are sow bugs or wood lice. These 

 are Crustaceans and not insects. 



The Destructive Mealy Bug. These insects belong to the 

 scale family, but, unlike most others 

 in this group, can move about when 

 adult. A mealy bug of this species 

 (Dactylopius destructor Comst.) is one- 

 eighth of an inch long and one-twelfth 

 of an inch wide. It is brownish yellow 

 below, and white with an indication of 

 a median line above. A powdery secre- 

 T tion covers the surface of the body. 



^ The segments of the body are quite 



FlG ' "^ distinct and a number of filaments are 



borne on the sides (Fig. 254). The 



male has two transparent wings, and has a wing expanse of less 

 than an eighth of an inch. The body is dark brown and the eyes 

 dark red. 



Life History. The female begins to lay eggs before she is 

 fully grown. The eggs are attached in a cottony mass at the pos- 

 terior end of the abdomen. This egg mass increases with her 

 growth. Since the end of the body is forced upward by the in- 

 creased mass of eggs, the insect finally appears to be almost stand- 

 252 



