62 Indian Museum Notes. [Vol. VI- 



17 Vedalia ? sp. 



(PL III, figs. 12, 12*.) 



Predaceous upon Monophlebus stebbingi var. mangiferae. 



Larva.— Not unlike V. guerinii larva, but larger. Spirit speci- 

 mens a dull reddish purple tapering anteriorly and posteriorly. 

 Mouth parts blackish; three pairs of long stout black legs on the 

 three segments following the head; 4 rows of tubercles on dorsal 

 surfaces of the segments, running longitudinally down the body. 

 Segments produced laterally into a pointed process giving a serrate 

 side to the larva. Larva is thickest in the middle, being very convex 

 dorsally and flat beneath. Length -10 millim. Figs. 12, \ia show a 

 dorsal and side view of the larva (enlarged) . 



Distribution.-— Shalimar Gardens, Lahore, Punjab. 



Life- History. -—In May 1902 Mr. Beadon-Bryant, Conservator of 

 Forests, forwarded some scale insect from the Shalimar Gardens, 

 Lahore, with the note that they were injurious to mango trees. The 

 scales proved to be but a variety of the Sal Monophlebus {vide p. 63). 

 In view of the presence of the predaceous Vedalia guerinii upon 

 this latter scale the writer asked for further consignments of insects 

 from Shalimar this year (1903), and also that a search might be made 

 in the plantation for ladybird beetles and their grubs. At the inst- 

 ance of Mr. Beadon-Bryant, Mr. Blascheck, Assistant Conservator of 

 Forests, sent a further consignment of specimens in May. With 

 the full-grown female scales a number of large larvae not unlike the 

 V. guerinii larvae, but larger and thicker, were received. The writer 

 has little doubt that these were predaceous upon the female Mono- 

 phlebus scales. 



