22 BULLETIN 134, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



It was stated by many people that the mealy bug was unusually 

 abundant on the island in 1913. 



LIFE HISTORY. 



The meajy bug lays 300 or 400 eggs in the cottony mass that is 

 secreted for the purpose, and these hatch in from 10 days to three 

 weeks, according to the season. The development ranges from one 

 month in summer to three in winter. 



NATURAL ENEMIES. 



The natural enemies of P. citri in Sicily are varied and numerous. 

 The writer has found feeding on or attacking this insect one species of 

 Hemiptera, two of Neuroptera, two of Coleoptera, two of Diptera, 

 and six or seven of Hymenoptera. Of these, probably the most 

 important is one of the species of Diptera. Two or three species of 

 Hymenoptera were also very common, as well as one of the cocci- 

 nellids. 1 



In spite of all these enemies the mealy bug was the worst citrus 

 pest in Sicily in 1913. The increase and decrease of this insect there, 

 however, may be very greatly influenced by the attacks of all these 

 enemies. 



PRAYS CITRI Millier. 2 



DISTRIBUTION AND INJURY. 



Prays citri is the name of a small moth the larva of which often 

 does serious injury to the blossoms of the orange and lemon. It is 

 found in Sicily, in the Provinces of Calabria and Campania, and 

 probably in other less important citrus sections of Italy. It was seen 

 to be particularly abundant in the vicinity of Messina in August, 

 1913, and a large percentage of the blossoms and newly formed fruit 

 was destroyed. It occurs from April to November, but is especially 

 destructive to the blossoms of the forced verdelli crop, which occurs 

 in midsummer. The injury is caused by the larvse eating into all the 

 flower organs — stamens, pistils, petals, and ovule. 



UFE HISTORY. 



The eggs are deposited apparently upon the calices or peduncle of 

 the flower, usually just prior to opening. The larvae upon hatch- 

 ing bore through the inclosing parts to the organs within. Flowers 

 thus attacked will have holes in the calyx, parts eaten out of the 

 stamen, or burrows made into the pistil and ovule. Pupation usually 

 occurs within the flower, but also in protected places on the leaves 

 or forks of the twigs and branches. 



1 These different species of parasitic and predaceous enemies of the mealy bug in Sicily may be treated in 

 more detail in a later paper. 



2 Italian common name, Tignola degli agrumi. 



