75 



i-tellate figure shown in the iUnstration. Length, one-sixth of an 

 inch. 



The segment of cane showing the characteristic hirval burrow wdth 

 hirva in situ (fig. i) was drawn from one of the canes sent by Mr. 

 Jones. The pupa is formed in a little cell similar to that occupied by 

 the larva in the cane. 



GENERAL NOTES. 



REPORTED SUCCESS OF AN INTRODUCED LADYBIRD SCALE ENEMY IN 



CALIFORNIA. 



Under date of September 28, 1904, Mr. Frederick Maskew, Long 

 Beach, CaL, sent specimens of the introduced ladybird beetle, Rhizo- 

 hh/s lophantlue Blaisdell, with the statement that it has very efi'ectu- 

 ally controlled the purple scale {M ytilaspis citvieola Packard) in the 

 Chula Vista lemon orchards during the year, this report being based 

 upon testimoii}^ furnished by Messrs. Allen and Copeland, extensive 

 growers and competent close observers. Our correspondent's per- 

 sonal experience wdth this ladybird was limited to the lemon orchards 

 of Pacific Beach. Reviewing his long acquaintance with the pur- 

 ple scale in the seedling orange orchards of Los Angeles County, his 

 findings were highly gratifying. He reports as f ollow^s : 



Old purple scale were abundant on most of the trees, but were in every in- 

 stance dead, the eggs having apparently all hatched. The most diligent search 

 failed to find any live young scale on either wood, foliage, or fruit. At the 

 time of this investigation, September 7, the parasites were found only .occasion- 

 ally, but I was assured that they had been very numerous during the past year. 



Knowing the vagaries of the different Rhizobiids. I am inclined to look upon 

 these results in San Diego County as an adaption to local food supply, induced 

 by the absence of other forms due to extreme drought rather than a case of 

 true parasitism. 



This same beetle is very generally distributed throughout Los Angeles County, 

 and I have often found it in very singular locations. It has attracted much 

 attention during the past year and has been identified by different local " au- 

 thorities " as Rhizohius toowoomlxe, Scymniis marginicollis, Scymnus lophanthce, 

 ;ind Rhizohius debilis. 



In commenting on the identity of these species, Mr. E. A. Schwa rz 

 of this office furnishes the f ollow^ing notes : 



Rhizohius tooicoomhcv, Blackburn is a synonym of Rhizohius iophanthw Blais- 

 dell. 



Rhizohius dehilis Blackburn is closely allied, but a little larger, more metallic, 

 and with darker prothorax and darker underside of the body. 



Sci/iiuius marginicolUs Mannh. is entirely different from Rhizohius, yet is 

 frequently mistaken for Rhizohius lophanthce. It is a native of California, and 

 feeds, both as larva and imago, on plant lice that affect various fruit trees and 

 many herbaceous plants. It never feeds on scale insects. 



