COCCIDAE OF OHIO. 65 



ASPIIKOTUS PERNICIOSLTS Comstock. 

 Figs. 4, 75. 



A. perniciosus Comst., Rep. U. S. Dep. Ag., 1880, p. 304 (1881). 



A. 2Jerniciosus Howard, Yearbook U. S. Dep. Ag., p. 267 (1894). 



A. 2^Grniciosus Webster, Bull. 56, Ohio Exp. Sta. (1895). 



A. perniciosus Webster, Bull. 72, Ohio Exp. Sta., p. 211 (1896). 



A. perniciosus Felt, Bull. 46, N. Y. St. Mus., pp. 304, 349 (1901). 



Scale of female: Circular, slightly convex, 1 — 2 mm. in diam., 

 gray or dark-gray except the prominent, covered, pale or reddish- 

 yellow exuviae. The exuviae are nipple-like with a shallow, depressed 

 Ting about them, which is quite characteristic of this species. 



Scale of male: Is black in color, rather convex with the nipple- 

 like prominence and depressed ring still more noticeable than in the 

 female. Usually more numerous than the female scales. 



Female: Two pairs of lobes well-developed. Median prominent, 

 rounded at the apex, notched on the outer margin near the middle, 

 though somewhat variable, and converging. The thickened inner 

 margins of the median lobes extends anteriorly encircling the anal 

 orifice in a characteristic manner. The second lobes are smaller and 

 narrower, though distinct, quite close to the median, notched on the 

 outer margin, pointed and converging. Between the median lobes, 

 and bounding each incision of the segment, are club-shaped, chitinous 

 processes; the inner usually the larger. There are two inconspicuous 

 plates between the median lobes, two caudad of first incision, and 

 three small, laterally serrate ones, caudad of second incision. Often 

 laterad of second incision are wide, furcated extensions of the margin 

 of the segment. The spines of the A^entral surface are situated laterad 

 of the corresponding dorsal spines at the bases of the first and second 

 lobes; the third pair laterad of second incision; the fourth pair at 

 one-half of distance to penultimate segment. Groups of circumgenital 

 gland-orifices are absent. Rows of dorsal pores are not prominent, 

 though variable. 



Remarks: The San Jose Scale is perhaps the most insid- 

 ious of our noxious insects. Its apparent damage is not so great 

 as are the ravages of the Colorado Potato-beetle, Army Worm, 

 Chinch Bug and the Hessian Fly, but frequently a valuable fruit 

 tree becomes so completely encrusted with hundreds of thousands 

 of the scales, and the vitality is so diminished that it begins to 

 -wither and die ; and then, and often not until then, is the cause 

 discovered. In such a case what would be the proper course to 

 follow? The axe and a hot fire would be the proper thing in 

 such a case. However, if a tree is only partially infested or the 



