13 



a few hours after it begins feeding waxy filaments are produced over 

 the surface of the body, and these, when sufficiently dense, coalesce and 

 form the first covering or scale. Beyond that point the histories differ 

 and each species must be taken up by itself. 



THE COTTONY MAPLE SCALE. 



Pulvinaria innumerdbilis, Rathv. 



Besides occurring on maple, this insect is also found on Osage 

 orange, grape and Virginia creeper; on the latter, most often, after 

 the maple. In some years and in some cities the soft maples are so 



Fig. 6. 



Tbe cottony maple scale : a, joung set along the ilbs of a leaf; &, one of the recent sets, enlarged 

 c, male, much enlarged. From BIt. Ent, U. S. Dept. Agl. 



seriously infested that they become wilted and sickly, while the stone 

 flagging on the street beneath is coated by a black, sticky substance. 

 This is the honey dew excreted by the insects, and on which a black 

 fungus flourishes luxuriantly. The injury is therefore similar to that 

 caused by plant lice, and both drains the trees directly and injures 

 them indirectly by choking the foliage. 



The species usually attract attention late in May or early in June, 

 Vhen the gravid female excretes from beneath the scale a mass of 

 ■white, waxy or cottony material, among which the eggs are laid. 



