60 Vict. Provincial Boaed of Horticulture. 45 



The case of the Australian Vedalia cardinalis, unported to prey upon the fluted scale 

 Icerya purchctsi, is frequently cited as an example of what can be done. When this insect 

 enemy was introduced, it found nothing that it recognized except the Icerya purcJiasi, and in 

 consequence devoted itself entirely to that species, totally suppressing it in a short time. 

 All that was done here was to restore the "balance of nature." Nothing can be argued from 

 this case as to the possibility of introducing foreign species to control strictly American pests 

 with which they are not acquainted. 



We can, however, frequently do good where we have imported insects, or insects occurring 

 also in other countries, by finding and introducing their parasites or enemies. 



In the Report of the California State Board of Horticulture for 1895-6, Mr. Alex. Oraw, 

 Chief Quarantine Officer, says, referring to the work of beneficial insects in that State: — "I 



P ^ would go more fully into this subject to sustain your advocacy of this method 



benefit* °^ combating destructive scale insects, but time is rapidly proving that your 



policy has been wise and correct. We do not look for, nor have you ever 

 stated that we can secure, complete extermination of our orchard pests by parasites ; but who 

 in California now fears the heretofore destructive 'cottony cushion scale,' the 'pernicious 

 scale,' the 'yellow scale,' the 'cottony grape scale,' the 'soft orange scale,' the mealy bugs, and 

 we can soon add all the Lecaniums to the list." 



All the foregoing have been destructive in their time, and have been regarded with dread 

 by orchardists. Of course, with the disappearance of their food, the parasites naturally 

 disappear and the scale may show up again, but colonies of beneficial insects can again be 

 liberated and clean them out. Similar good results are also reported from the Sandwich 

 Islands. 



In Oregon, Dr. Card well reports that the "woolly aphis" and "green aphis" ^re disap- 

 pearing in many localities before the rapidly increasing army of lady-bugs. Mr. H. E. Dosch 

 reports the presence of large numbers of predaceous beetles, Podahrus comes, feeding upon green 

 and woolly aphides. They are ravenous feeders, and rapidly cleared orchards of these pests. 



In British Columbia the number of predaceous insects is certainly increasing \ery fast, the 

 work of syrphus fly larva and ladybirds of different kinds feeding upon aiphides being especi- 

 ally noticed. The convergent ladybird, Ilippodamia convergens, I found in the vicinity of 

 Victoria in October, going into winter quarters in thousands. During the coming season 

 efforts will be made to introduce species from California and Oregon likely to prove serviceable 

 here. 



Beetle. Larva. 



TWICE-STABBED LADYBIRD [Ohilocorus bivulneris). 



This is a beautiful little black beetle with two bright red spots on its wing-covers. The 



larva is shown in the cut, and is black, crossed by a bright yellow band about the middle, and 



is armed with many soft, long, branching spines. This Ladybird preys upon 



Twice-Stabbed yarious scales, and is especially destructive to the San Jose Scale {Aspidi- 



Ladybird . . . ' > '^ 



otus permciosus). 



