April, '15] 



ENTOMOLOGISTS' PROCEEDINGS 



23& 



Secretary A. F. Burgess: I would like to say a word in connec- 

 tion with the acceptance, without a great deal of consideration, of 

 statements made by the average fruit-grower or person who is not a 

 specialist in parasitic work on the results of introducing parasites. 

 We have had considerable experience along this line on the gipsy 

 and brown-tail moth work in New England, and we find that a great 

 many people who know these pests thoroughly do not understand 

 about the parasitic species introduced or the results that may be 

 expected. They anticipate quick and immediate results whenever 

 parasites are liberated, and if there is a decrease in numbers of the 

 pests concerned, they immediate^ attribute this to colonization of 

 parasites. 



I am not speaking in regard to the parasites of the San Jose scale be- 

 cause we have had no experience with these but we are satisfied that the 

 average farmer and fruit-grower, or other man, who has infested trees, 

 is very apt to lay too much stress on the colonization of a parasite 

 in his orchard or woodland if there is any decrease in the severity of 

 the infestation. 



Mr. W. E. Britton: Perhaps Mr. Tower or someone else can 

 give us an idea of the natural distribution of the parasites under 

 consideration. 



Mr. D. G. Tower: I have found the parasite in numerous places 

 in Massachusetts and on the Capitol grounds Q)t Washington, D. C. 

 Specimens have been sent to me from Connecticut by Dr. Britton 

 and from New York by Dr. Felt and Professor Parrott. Professor 

 Surface has found it in many places in Pennsylvania. Specimens 

 have been sent to Dr. Forbes in Ilhnois to start a colony there and 

 I have attempted to start one at Lafayette, Indiana. Whether this 

 last has been successful or not cannot be stated at this time. It is 

 my opinion that in order to secure accurate data on the amount of 

 parasitism, the scales should be examined for eggs, larvae and pupae 

 of the parasite as well as a count of the exit holes made. The per- 

 centage of parasitism of the scales examined at Amherst would average, 

 I think, from 75 to 85 per cent and it was evident that the parasite 

 was doing good work. As regards the life-cycle of the parasite, it 

 apparently coincides with that of the scale, in the majority of cases 

 emerging from mature second stage female scales. The reason for 

 some emerging from immature third stage female scales I have en- 

 deavored to explain in my recent paper. 



President H. T. Fernald: The next paper will be read by Mr. 

 C. L. Metcalf. 



