44 



HOP. 



Minute Black Lady-bird. Seijwnns minimus, Eossi.* 

 (Beneficial insect ; feeding on " Eed Spider.") 



Amongst injurious infestations of Hops, that of Red Spider was 

 especially troublesome at Hop harvest time in the past season, and 

 about the end of August, when in many of the south-eastern Hop 

 growing districts picking was being hurried on, or crops severely 

 suffering from presence of Red Spider,! I received information of 

 observation of a small black Lady-bird Beetle, of which the maggots 

 preyed greedily on this pest. 



The first communication regarding these little Lady-birds was sent 

 me on the 5th of August, from Canon Court, Wateringbury, near 

 Maidstone, by Mr, Edward Goodwin, with the remark that he was for- 

 warding to me some larvc'B which he had found that day feeding on the 

 Red Spider of the Hop. This first consignment, however, had escaped 

 in transit, or what was more likely, judging by subsequent observation 

 of habits of the maggots, had destroyed each other past recognition 

 during the journey ! 



From various causes, the second consignment was not sent me 

 until near the end of the month, on the 25th of August, when Mr. 

 Goodwin wrote : — " I regret the delay in sending you more specimens. 

 Unfortunately the wash we used was more successful in killing the 

 larvae which prey on Red Spider than the Spiders themselves. I am 

 sending you a very few of the larvae and pupae. I could not find any 

 of the beetles; they are very small, black, and evidently allied to the 

 'Fly Golding.'" 



On the 5th of September, Mr. Goodwin added further : — " The 

 larvffi and pupae are usually found in groups of four or five, and their 

 habits appear to resemble those of the Lady-bird. I can find plenty 

 of them now." 



The beetles, which I reared from the pupae (and in one instance 

 from the larvae sent me), proved just like miniature black "Lady- 

 birds " in general appearance. The shape hemispheric, or rather oval; 

 length rather less than one line; colour shining black; legs testaceous, 

 with darker thighs ; antennae clubbed, testaceous, lowest joint darker ; 



* This beetle is not figured, as from its very minute size, a black dot, a twelfth 

 of an inch across, would be the only way of representing it as seen in life. The 

 figure of various Lady-bird Beetles, in different stages, given at p. 46, show in much 

 larger form, the shape of the small Scymnus in beetle, chrysalis, and grub condition. 



t See ' The London Corn Circular ' for August 28th, with " Crop Prospects " of 

 Hops, p. 6. 



