PROCEEDINGS OF THIRTY-THIRD FRUIT-GROWERS ? CONVENTION. 155 



(Chilocorus bivulnerus). This little black friend, with its two bright 

 red spots, is a conspicuous object in the early part of February on the 

 scale-infested limbs of orchard trees, and later in the season the peculiar 

 clustering of the spiny-looking pupae on the under side of branches 

 has often alarmed the grower, who thought he had discovered some 

 terrible new pest, only to be consoled by the report of the entomologist 

 that they are the very best friends he has. Without question, this 

 ladybird has done wonders in reducing the armored scales of the 

 deciduous orchards, the San Jose scale, the greedy scale, the pear diaspis, 

 and the rose scale all being eagerly sought by it and all soon reduced 

 below the danger limit by its untiring attack. 



Closely resembling the twice-stabbed ladybird is a larger species, 

 Exochomus pilatei, generally known as Pilate's ladybird, which also 

 has red spots. This species feeds on the young of the black scale and is 

 very abundant in the olive orchards of the coast counties. 



Among the aphis-eating ladybirds we have four very efficient species, 

 the blood red ladybird (Coccinella sanguinea) , the California ladybird 

 (C. calif ornica) , the convergent ladybird (Hippodamia convergens) , 

 and the ambiguous ladybird (H. ambigua) . All these species are, 

 strictly speaking, aphis-feeders, and have done much in reducing sudden 

 outbreaks of these pests by being transported to sections where they 

 were destructive. They are ever busy, and on account of their bright 

 color can easily be detected. I may mention that the Hippodamia con- 

 vergens has the habit of hibernating near the watercourses in our 

 mountain ranges and at this season of the year can be gathered by the 

 bushel, as they delight in clustering like swarms of bees. Much good 

 can be accomplished by collecting them in quantity and keeping 

 them in a cool, dry place in tight boxes, with enough ventilation to 

 prevent smothering during the winter. They can be liberated in spring 

 when the first aphids make their appearance. This method has been 

 tried in some of the big seed farms in the Santa Clara Valley, and in 

 one season saved a large acreage of radish seed on which the aphids had 

 started their work. The other species also cluster and hibernate in 

 dried leaves under protected places and other material, but they are 

 not usually found in such large colonies as Hippodamia convergens. 



Another ladybird is the enemy of the cypress mealy bug (Pseudo- 

 coccus ryani). This is Hyperaspis lateralis. It is so abundant at 

 times that the pupae, which are snow-white, give the tree a striking ap- 

 pearance. The species is a wonderful worker, and I think might be 

 successfully used on the mealy bugs of our citrus groves. At least, it 

 would be worth a trial. 



Many of our native scale insects are severely attacked by chalcid flies. 

 In the cedar forests we have a mealy bug which infests the red cedar 

 and which becomes quite abundant at times and then suddenly dis- 



