Indian Economic Entomology. 



[ Vol. 11. 



IV.— AMERICAN BLIGHT^ {ScUzoneura lanigera). 



By E. T. ATKINSON. 



The insect so well known in England as " American Blig-ht," in Ame- 

 rica as " Woolly Aphis of the apple/' in France as " Puceron lanigere/' 

 in Germany as " Bliittlaus/' has appeared in India and done considerable 



damage to orchards in Conoor and Bangalore. It belongs to the order 

 llhyncliota, suborder Homoptera, family Aphides, and genus Schizoneura, 

 and appears under two conditions, one attacking the branches and trunk, 

 the other the roots. In both cases its presence is readily detected by the 

 abnormal growth of gall-like excrescences or knobs on the parts affected, 

 leading eventually, in many eases, to the death of the tree. During 

 1888 it was particularly common in England, where much attention has 

 been paid to devising remedies against it. 



The aerial form is usually found about the base of twigs or of suck- 

 ers springing from the trunk, or the base of the trunk itself, and in 

 wounds and crevices of the bark. In autumn they are said to be found 

 abundantly in the axils of the leaf-buds, towards the ends of the twigs, 

 and are easily recognised by the white downy tomentum by which they 

 are covered. Under each patch of down there is usually found a female 



1 The following paper was written shortly before Mr. Atkinson's death. The delay in 

 publishing it has been due to the preparation of the figures by the Museum artist. The 

 winged insect is copied from a figure which has appeared in American and English 

 works on the subject. The larva and the galls are from specimens furnished by Mr. Daly. 



