ENEMIES OF OTHER SCALE-INSECTS. 63 
and very interesting species of Micro weisea, recently described, also 
attacks the San Jose scale, and is referred to below. 
Rliizobius lophanthdQ was originally described from specimens found 
preying upon the San Jose scale at San Diego, Cal., but belongs to a 
lot which was introduced by Mr. Koebele on his first Australian trip 
(1888-89) and subsequently lost sight of, and was described by Doctor 
Blaisdell under the supposition that it was a new California species. 
Of our native predaceous insects attacking the San Jose scale, the 
most useful and interesting is the little coccinellid Microweisea misella 
(fig. 10), which in both the larva and beetle state feeds upon this 
scale. It has a very wide range, occurring thruout the East and also 
oC f 
J> c ^ 
Fig. 10.— Microweisea (Pentilia) misella: a, beetle; 6, larva; c, pupa; d, blossom end of pear, showing 
scales with larvse of Microweisea feeding on them, and pupae of Microweisea attached within the 
calyx. All greatly enlarged (from Howard and Marlatt). 
in California, and began to attack the scale in numbers in the East in 
the first infested orchards discovered. This beetle was figured and 
its habits briefly indicated in Bulletin 3. The parent beetles prefer 
the full-grown female scales, and may frequently be observed stand- 
ing astride the scale, almost on end, pushing their heads under the 
margin of the protecting scale to get at the soft, yellow insect 
beneath. The larvse of these beetles seem to feed more abundantly on 
the young scales. Their mode of attacking the older scales was not 
observed. The egg of this particularly useful coccinellid has not been 
found, but a favorite place for pupation was discovered within the 
calyx of the pears. This cavity is often literally filled with a mixture 
8449— No. 62—06 5 
