THE DESTRUCTIVE MEALY BUG. 



65 



than 3 and 10 ; joints 3 and 4 subequal and a trifle shorter than the follow- 

 ing-joints. The lateral ocelli are each just laterad of the center of the 

 eye, and not at its posterior border, as in the following species. (This, 

 however, isa character which will not hold with specimens long mounted.) 



FIG. 23. Dactylopius destructor Comstock, male. (After Comstock.) 



Prothorax short ; legs sparsely covered with hairs j tarsal digitules ex- 

 tremely delicate, and the button is very difficult to distinguish ; we have 

 been unable to discover a trace of the pair belonging to the claw. The 

 anal filaments and the supporting hairs are similar to those of the fol- 

 lowing species. 



"This species is readily distinguished from D. longifilis by the short- 

 ness of the lateral and anal filaments in the female. Indeed, for con- 

 venience's sake, we have been, in the habit of distinguishing them as the 

 mealy bug with short threads and the one with long. The life-history 

 of this species differs quite decidedly from that of D. longifilis, in that 

 true eggs, which occupy quite a long time in hatching, are deposited. 

 The female begins laying her eggs in a cottony mass at the extremity of 

 her abdomen, some time before attaining full growth, and the egg-mass 

 increases with her own increase, gradually "forcing the posterior end of 

 the body upwards until she frequently seems to be almost standing on 

 her head. The young Iarva3 soon after hatching spread in all directions 

 and settle preferably along the mid-rib on the under side of the leaves, 

 or in the forks of the young twigs, where they form large colonies, closely 

 packed together. As mentioned in the description, they are only slightly 

 covered with the white powder, and many seem to be entirely bare, with 

 the exception of the lateral threads. 

 6521 o i 5 



