WHITE WAX COCCID (Ericerus pela Chav.) 

 By MUNEMOTO YANO, Entomohgist of Forest Experiment Nation 



I. General Notes 



The white wax coccid, a species of scale insect or Coccidae, is found 

 in China and Japan. The male larvae secrete white wax from the surface 

 of the body known in commerce as insect wax or Chinese wax. It is 

 composed principally of ceryl cerotate (C2iH53»C26H5i02) melting at 

 80.5°-83°C. having thus a distinctly higher melting point than any other 

 wax or fats. This article which has a peculiar use in industries is 

 produced in large quantities in Shishang, China, and also in small quanti- 

 ties in other places. It costs about Tael 50-55 per picul and the annual 

 production is over 1,000,000 Tael in value. The principal use among the 

 Chinese for this wax is in the preparation of candles, mixed with lard; 

 the wax is likewise used in coating pills by chemists. The most extensive 

 use, however, is for giving lustre to raw silk and silk fabrics. The insect 

 is hardly known to be grown in Japan. The natural product obtained by 

 collecting from wild insects is used to give polish hard-wood works and 

 for sundry other uses. 



II. Description 



Adult female: Spherical. Length 8-11 mm, width 8-10 mm, height 

 7-8 mm. Color chestnut or reddish brown with dark irregular markings ; 

 smooth and shining, covered with waxy, grayish white secretion. 



Adult male: Length, 2-2.5 mm, length of wings 2.3-2.5 mm, width 

 of the mesothorax 0.5 mm. Pale yellow, with brownish markings on the 

 head and thorax; abdomen greyish. Eyes 12, globular and prominent; 

 dark reddish in color. Antennae composed of 10 segments; grayish in 

 color and with long fine hairs ; the first segment short and dark yellowish ; 

 the second small; the third longest; remaining segements are nearly equal, 

 but gradually increase in length towards the apex. The thorax is large 

 and stout, nearly equal in length to the abdomen, mesothorax is the 

 broadest. Wings subhyaline, the costal space fuliginous, veins brownish 

 yellow ; thickly covered with fine cilia. Haltere large, club-shaped, bearing 



