10 



hibernating during' the winter months. Their larvae will feed upon 

 various scales. 



A number of other species and of several genera of coccid -feeding 

 ladybirds were sent, as also all those met with which prey upon the 

 Aphid a? . 



While this attempt at introducing coceid-feeding insects will without 

 doubt result in time in much benefit to America, as the species if once 

 numerous can be sent to other parts, we should not leave off here, 

 since the work in the future will be much easier. We have learned 

 that insects collected in the autumn can be sent on ice with safety to 

 any desired distance, and we have also learned the food habits of a 

 great many species in Australasia. We could easily get hundreds of 

 coccid feeding insects into America with comparatively little expense, 

 not only to free our fruit trees from the present scale pests, but to be 

 prepared for any new coccid that may be introduced in the future. 

 Great care must necessarily be taken not to introduce any of the para- 

 sites which prey upon these beneficial insects, as this would considerably 

 reduce the good already accomplished. We would never rid ourselves 

 of the parasites destroying our friends, and it would again become 

 necessary to hunt up other agents to destroy our scales and those 

 insects preying upon the destructive parasites, which could not be so 

 readily done. 



Syrphid and Chrysopa larval were met with in large numbers every- 

 where in my travels. We know the value of these insects, and yet I 

 did not deem it wise to send any of them over to America, since the 

 parasites preying upon them are as numerous as upon our own species, 

 and they are many. The result of such an attempt would be that those 

 insects here, notwithstanding the additional species introduced, would 

 be attacked by about twice the number of parasites and naturally 

 would become of much less value in destroying oar pests. Such an 

 attempt can only be made with the certainty that the parasites thus 

 introduced shall not be allowed to see the open air, while on the other 

 hand proper opportunity to breed is given the surviving flies, and this 

 requires the closest personal care of an entomologist having his pro 

 fession at heart and inspired by an earnest enthusiasm. 



Under the existing condition in California fruit trees have to be 

 sprayed or fumigated annually, at a cost, as I have been informed 

 from various sources, of from 50 cents to $1 for each tree. Naturally 

 this is a continuous loss to the owner, as the operation has to be 

 repeated every year and without any hope of securing permanent immu- 

 nity. One prominent gentleman in Los Angeles recently informed me 

 that " his orange crop amounts to $2,000, and the fumigation of the trees 

 to $3,000." 



On the other hand, we all know what good our beneficial coccinellids. 

 Chiloeorus bivulnerus Muls. and Scymnus marginieollis Mann., are able 

 to accomplish if left undisturbed, i. e. } not destroyed by chemical appli- 

 cations; and it ma- t seem plain to every thinking individual that a few 



