85 



OBSERVATIONS ON AFRICAN SCALE INSECTS (COCCID^). 



(No. 3.) 



By Robert Newstead, M.Sc, A.L.S., &c., 

 The School of Tropical Medicine, The University, Liverpool. 



The insects referred to in this paper were collected in various parts of Africa : 

 those from Egypt by Mr. F. C Willcocks, Entomologist to the Khedivial 

 Agricultural Society, Cairo ; those from Uganda by Mr. C. C. Gowdey, the 

 Government Entomologist : and the remainder by Mr. S. A. Neave. The col- 

 lections comprise several species which are known to be destructive to cultivated 

 crops and fruits in various parts of the world ; and others, judging by their 

 numbers, must at least be considered of potential economic importance. Out of 

 the total of 32 species, ten are new to science, and the lac-producing Tachardia 

 decorella, Maskell, has not hitherto been recorded from Africa. 



At present it is impossible for me to do more than describe the external 

 characters of the newly discovered species : to notify the presence of others 

 which may be found, from time to time, and to catalogue the names of the plants 

 upon which they are known to occur. As there are few insects which are 

 capable of causing greater damage to cultivated plants and fruits than scale- 

 insects of various kinds, it is highly important that this portion of the work 

 should be proceeded with as rapidly as possible, so that we may be in a position, 

 in the near future, to present a comprehensive summary of the results. 



It is important also from an economic standpoint, that the " scale " enemies of 

 the indigenous plants should be investigated, as it has been frequently demon- 

 strated that apparently unimportant species of Coccid^ have subsequently 

 proved a serious menace to the cultivation of plants of various kinds in many 

 parts of the world. 



A study of the bionomics of these insects should prove of great interest and 

 importance, but this must be left to entomologists who are resident in Africa. 



Aspidiotus trilobitiformis. Green. 



On Oleander; Kilossa, Usagara, German East Africa, 27. XII. 1910 {S. A. 

 Neave). 



As is usual with this species, the females were all arranged along the mid-rib 

 of the leaves of the food-plant. The puparia are less deltoid in shape than other 

 examples which I have seen from Africa (Dar-es-Salaam); but the morphological 

 characters agree so closely with Green's description* that there can, I feel, be no 

 doubt as to its identity. 



Aspidiotus hederae, Vallot. 



" On a small tree," Uhehe district, German East Africa, about 4,000 ft., 

 1. XII. 1910 {S. A. Neave). 



Mr. Neave adds the following particulars : — " though nearly every leaf on 

 the west side of the tree was infested with this Coccid, the east side, i.e., that 



* Coccidee of Ceylon, p. 41. 

 (20119—2.) Wt. P 3528—16. 1000. 7/11. D & S. A 



