66 MISCELLAHEOUS RESULTS OF WORK OF BUREAU — IX. 



that it had spread but slightly into the surrounding younger citrus 

 groves. When describing it for the first time Prof. A. L. Quaintance ° 

 stated that, judging from its abundance on leaves sent to the Bureau 

 of Entomology from Cuba, it was a very serious pest of the Cuban 

 orange, possibly rivaling the well-known citrus white-fly in Florida. 

 Whatever damage it is causing in Cuba, where it may be partially 

 held in check by parasites and predaceous enemies, it has shown itself 

 capable of rapid multiplication and spread in its new home at Tampa. 

 Notwithstanding the fact that it has not been observed in Florida 

 before, although many trees now heavily infested have been under 

 casual observation during 1907 and 1908, it has become well estab- 

 lished over a very large portion of the city, spreading northward 

 beyond Michigan avenue and eastward about 2 miles, into Ybor City. 

 Orange groves in the more elevated portions of the city are thoroughly 

 infested, hence it is safe to presume that the pest is well established 

 in the western section of the city. 



From the present infestation it appears that the insect first secured 

 a foothold along the water front, and this points to its possible impor- 

 tation from Cuba. In this section neglected worthless trees along 

 the streets and in dooryards are in many cases heavily infested. While 

 it appears to be rivaling the citrus white-fly in the extent of its attack 

 on some trees, it is improbable that it is capable of causing such 

 widespread disaster; nevertheless, if it becomes abundant in a grove, 

 it will prove a source of no little aggravation and discomfort to those 

 working in the trees because of the large and extremely viscid drops 

 of honeydew which collect over the bodies of the insects, and later 

 become embedded in the copious waxen secretions. 



LIFE HISTORY. 



Nothing has been published regarding the life history of this aleyro- 

 did aside from the statement made by Professor Quaintance (1. c.) 

 that the eggs lie prostrate on the leaf, and are arranged, more or less, 

 in circles or curves. When discovered in Tampa by the writer on 

 November 14, 1909, adults were abundant and depositing eggs upon 

 both new and old growth, showing the usual preference for the for- 

 mer, and larvae in all stages, as well as pupae, were numerous. Later, 

 on December 15, Mr. S. S. Crossman found adults abundant, and 

 examination of material at this time showed that pupae were still 

 maturing. The last brood of adults of this species is, therefore, on 

 wing later in the year than that of either the citrus or spotted-wing 

 white-fly. Adults were noted by the writer on a visit to Tampa dur- 

 ing late January. 



oU.S. Dept. Agr., Bur. Ent., Tech. Ser. 12, Pt. V, pp. 91-92, 1907. The more impor- 

 tant Aleyrodidse infesting economic plants, with description of a new species infesting 

 the orange. 



