170 ASSOCIATION OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGISTS. 



0.40 mm. Head mealy with two dark spots ; pronotum mealy with two dark spots ; 

 rest of the thorax ochreous with two spots and with a median line ; venter fawn 

 colored. Abdomen mealy-gray to dusky-brown, densely clothed with white meal, 

 two dusky spots on each segment except at the apex (=8 pairs) ; a dusky line 

 shows on each side owing to the conformation of the segments. At the base of 

 the seventh segment are the two large round black areas, the position of the 

 cornicles. When denuded of its mealy coat the abdomen varies from slaty gray 

 to plum color or brownish ochreous. In a few cases I have seen them almost 

 flesh colored, especially when first coming from the larval skin. The meal espe- 

 cially forms a ridge around each dusky spot, which is the opening of a gland 

 from which the flattish white waxen threads are passed out. The rostrum is 

 dark and short, reaching just beyond the base of the prothoracic legs. Antennae 

 (fig. 9) dark, with ocherous bands, short and thick, composed of five segments, 

 the two basal ones small and of about equal size, the third long with a few promi- 

 nent thick hairs of moderate length, ringed ventrally when about to hatch into 

 the winged female ; last two segments small, the apical one longer than the penul- 

 timate and bluntly pointed, with small fine pilosity and some longer hairs. The 

 legs are dark brown and thick and short ; tibia? spinose, and a few spine-like 

 hairs also on the tarsi. Coxae very dark brown. The pupal legs are so short 

 that the insect can not right itself if placed on its back. 



The wingless viviparous female is more uniformly fawn colored, varying to 

 ochreous and covered also with a mealy coat. The head is dusky brown. The 

 dark spots are much as in the pupa. Legs deep brown. Antennae grayish-brown. 

 Eyes very small or absent. Rostrum long, reaching to beyond the base of the 

 third pair of legs. Fatter and more globose than the pupa. Length, 1.35 to 1.70 

 mm. ; of antennae, 0.38 to 0.45 mm. 



Buckton describes the antennal segments as being more cup-shaped 

 than in other stages. Unfortunately I have made no notes on their 

 structure and allowed them all to enter the pupal stage. 



In all the stages the body is more or less mealy, thus hiding the true 

 color, which is very variable according to my observations. The waxy 

 threads can be easily watched proceeding from the dorsal glands and 

 are most pronounced in the wingless viviparous female. The waxy 

 excretion remains on the currant stems long after the aphides have 

 disappeared and after the specimen showing damage has been dried. 



It has been found that the rootage is easily cleaned by first moving 

 it through a tub of plain water and then for a couple of minutes in 

 strong soft-soap solution, slightly warm. This should always be done 

 where young stock is moved if any traces of the woolly aphis are 

 observed. 



When older bushes are attacked treatment of the soil with bisul- 

 phid of carbon is found most successful. Dry weather was found 

 the best time to employ this remedy. 



BIBLIOGRAPHY. 



Taylor, Joshua. A Treatise on the Insects most Prevalent on Fruit Trees and 

 Garden Produce. (1829.) 



Buckton, G. B. Monograph of British Aphides, vol. iii. (1880.) 



Theobald, F. V. Notes upon Insect Pests in 1894. (1895.) 



Theobald, F. V. Notes on Injurious Insects observed in 1896. Journal South- 

 eastern Agricultural College, No. G, p. 18. (1897.) 



