THE WAX SCALE OR \VHITE SCALE. 



67 



covering is a soft wax, very similar to the white wax of commerce. The 

 color is wlirte, rendered impure by surface accumulations of dust and 

 dirt. A faint tinge of pink i.s sometimes given, to the semi-transparent 

 wax by the red color of the insect beneath. 



When the covering of wax is removed the naked body of the insect 

 is disclosed to view. This has the 

 form of an almost globular sack, 

 with thin and delicate walls, in- 

 closing dark red liquid contents, 

 or eggs of similar color. The up- 

 per surface of the body bears six 

 prominent tubercles, three on 

 each side, and a short anal tujje, 

 the end of which, as has been 

 seen, penetrates the covering of 

 wax. Beneath the flattened ven- 

 tral surface may be discovered the 

 disused, but not wholly discarded, 

 legs and antenna of the larva. 

 The under surface also usually 

 shows the marginal notches, more 

 plainly seen in Lecanium, and 

 which indicates the three struct- 

 ural divisions of the body. From 

 these notches radiate streaks of 

 chalky white exudation, which at 

 a hasty glance have the appear- 

 ance of legs, but probably serve 

 as a cement attaching the scale 

 more firmly to the bark. 



Larva. The newly-hatched 

 louse has the usual oval, flat- 

 tened form. Color pale ruddy 

 brown, with the members yellowish; antennae G jointed, tipped with 

 long hairs. The caudal bristles are very long. 



Eggs 0.25 mm long, elliptical, having the color of sherry wine. 



Life-hi8tory. The eggs, to the number of seventy-five or one hun- 

 dred, are deposited under the covering of the mother, and are simply 

 transferred from the inside to the outside of her body, which becomes 

 excavated below, and is more and more depleted as the process of lay- 

 ing goes on. At last, entirely collapsed, it forms a mere lining to the 

 walls of the waxen casket, beneath which the eggs are brought to ma- 

 turity and hatched. 



The young, escaping from beneath the scale, scatter in all directions 

 over the tree, and soon attach themselves, by their beaks, to the sur- 

 faces of the leaves. After they have begun to feed and to excrete wax, 



Fio. 20. Cer plant's floridensis Comstock. 

 adnit and ymui^ friii;iK-N <>i> ile\", untsiral wiz"; a, 

 young iiMifal , r n larked ; b, adult 1'ciualc, enlarged. 

 (Alter Couistock.) 



