573 



Natural Enemies. In California this scale is now held in 

 complete subjection by a small chalcid fly (Aphelinus fucipennis). 

 At horticultural conventions held in that State, 10 or 12 years ago, 

 the question of dealing with the San Jose scale was one of their 

 most serious problems, but now it is seldom or ever referred, to at 

 such conventions. 



RED SCALE (Aspidiotus aurantii, Mask). 



This is the most serious scale insect which the citrus fruit- 

 growers of this State have to contend against. It has a very wide 

 range of food plants, and attacks all varieties of citrus fruits, and is 

 often noticed attacking the quince, guava, pear, fig, loquat, 

 mulberry, castor bean, and rose, as well as many other garden 

 plants and shrubs. Leaves, fruit, and branches are attacked ; and 



it occurs at times so thick 

 upon the fruit of orange 

 and lemon that its mar- 

 ket value is destroyed. 

 This scale belongs to the 

 "armoured" ones. 



Bed Scale Parasite. (Enlarged.) 



Description. The 

 colour of the female, 

 when scale is formed, 

 is light or primrose 

 yellow, but as it reaches 

 maturity it becomes a 

 brownish yellow. The 

 formation of the body is such that under the scale, when examined 

 with a lens, its appearance is that of a broken ring, but when 

 ovipositing, the posterior end of the abdomen extends beyond the 

 circular line of the body. The colour of the natural insect is shown 

 through the nearly trans- 

 parent scale from which it 

 derives its common name 

 Red Scale. 



Remedies. Use, during 

 the summer months, Nos. 

 10, 14, 20, or fumigate with 

 No. 18 (see pp. 490-492. 

 The latter has given the best 

 results. 



Natural Enemies. Cali- 

 fornia made a long and 

 continuous search for the 

 parasite of this scale, but 

 it was not discovered until 

 1900, when it was found in 

 China, and from there sent 

 to California, where they 

 were liberated in an orange 

 grove well infested with red 



Orange infested with Eed Scale. 



