20 BULLETIN 134, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
THE COTTONY CUSHION SCALE. 
leery a purchasi Mask. 
DISTRIBUTION AND INJURY. 
The cottony cushion scale was observed at Acireale, Messina, and 
Bagheria in Sicily. It was not seen elsewhere in Italy, except at 
Portici, and was not observed anywhere in Spain. It is of recent 
introduction in Sicily (five or six years ago) and is supposed to have 
come from North America or Portugal. A severe infestation occurred 
at the places mentioned in Sicily as observed in April. Several trees 
were killed and cut down at Bagheria. (PI. V, fig. 2.) Novius 
cardinalis was seen at work at Messina and Acireale, but after per- 
sistent search none could be found at Bagheria despite the fact that 
the beetle had been liberated by Dr. Savastano in February. Dr. 
Savastano was informed of this fact, and another colony was promptly 
liberated. When the place was again visited in August it was 
gratifying to see that apparently the entire infestation was com- 
pletely checked by the work of the beetle. The owner of the grove, 
who in May despaired of saving any of the trees, in August was 
elated and believed it little short of miraculous that he could be 
freed of the pest in such a short time. This infestation was so com- 
pletely cleaned up that Novius had disappeared for lack of food, and 
no trace of the beetles could be found hi August. These same con- 
ditions have been observed in California; the beetles, upon eating 
all of the scales by midsummer, would themselves disappear, reap- 
pearing, however, in the following spring. The few young scales 
that escaped the beetle the year previous would multiply to such an 
extent that a heavy infestation occurred by the following spring and 
would thus furnish food for the returning beetles wherever they 
came from. These circumstances were observed for four successive 
seasons in a particular grove in California, where the trees were 
finally cut back. It is hoped that these same circumstances will not 
prevail at Bagheria. 
LIFE HISTORY. 
From 500 to 800 eggs are deposited in the large fluted cottony 
mass which is secreted for this purpose. The eggs hatch in from 10 
days to 3 weeks, depending upon the temperature. The young 
larvae settle on the leaves and tender twigs largely, but later nearly 
all those on the leaves migrate to the twigs and branches, adults 
being found even on the tree trunk. The time required for develop- 
ment varies considerably under the same conditions and may range 
from three to four or five months. The great majority of eggs and 
young appear during May and June. 
