i66 



FARM FRIENDS AND FARM FOES 



on leaves or stems, the eggs of the larger sorts bearing a 

 general resemblance to those of the familiar Colorado po- 

 tato beetle. These eggs soon hatch into the curious Lady- 

 bird larvae which also feed upon the aphides, destroying 

 great numbers of them. After some weeks of 

 feeding, the Ladybird larvae attach themselves to 

 leaf or bark and change to pupae, soon to change 

 again to adult beetles. 



While most of our common Ladybird beetles 

 feed chiefly upon aphides, some species devour 

 bark lice. One of the most noted kinds of 

 beneficial insects is the celebrated Australian 

 Ladybird — Vedalia cardinalis. This insect was 

 introduced into California to destroy the fluted scale — a 

 destructive pest in orange groves. The experiment was 

 quite successful, for the scale insects were materially 

 checked by their little foes. 



Predaceous Bugs 



Probably the most important predaceous insects in the 

 order of true bugs are the Soldier Bugs (Pentatomidae). 

 These belong to the genus Podisus ; 

 they are of moderate size, the larger 

 common ones being slightly less than 

 an inch long, with flattened bodies, 

 well-developed legs, and strong, 

 sharply pointed beaks. There are about a dozen species, 

 several of which have a horizontal spiny projection on each 

 side of the back behind the head. 



The Spined Soldier Bug is one of the largest and most 

 widely distributed of these insects. The adults pass the 

 winter under loose bark, fallen trees, loose leaves, or other 

 shelter. In spring they come forth and attack such cater- 



Soldier-buq 



