QUEENSLAND PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY. 
—4 
COCCUS INSECTS. 
4 
The following paper was read by Dn. Bancroft, at the Monthly Meeting of the 
Society, August 1869 : — 
“ At one of the meetings of this society dur- 
ing last year, it will be remembered that the 
subject of Coccus wax was introduced by me, 
and that I burnt a small candle made of this 
substance. 
“ It is intended in this paper to give the re- 
sults of further observations on the insects pro- 
ducing this wax, and to offer some remarks on 
another curious product of the same insects — 
viz., manna — a variety of sugar at present little 
understood. 
“From the same family of insects (Hemi- 
ptera) other important commercial products are 
obtained, and which I here mention as it will 
be necessary to refer to the insects producing 
them. These are the Cochineal dye, and the 
material lac, commonly known as shell-lac. 
“ These insects thus produce wax, sugar, dye 
and lac. 
“ There are several insects living here that 
produce wax. The largest of which lives on 
various species of eucalyptus, and may be seen 
in greit numbers occasionally. 
“ The females are wingless, though it may be 
that a second form of insect has wings. The 
wingless one is over half an inch long, and is 
covered by a large mass of white downy wax, 
that falls from her body in quantity sufficient 
to whiten the ground near. After the removal 
of the down, the body of the insect is found of 
the shape of a large wood louse, of a bright red 
color. There is much yellowish fat in her body. 
The male insect may occasionally be found — a 
winged hopper — rarely more than one on the 
hush, on which live a great many females. 
“ On account of the loose downy nature of 
this wax, it is not easy to collect it in any large 
quantity. 
“ The wax insect next in size to this is found 
on many species of trees in our dense scrubs. 
It is found adherent to the small twigs in great 
numbers. It is milky-white, half-an-inch long, 
convex, and irregular externally. When re- 
moved from the bark, the true body of the 
insect is seen as a small red centre. The wax, 
which coats the body to a considerable depth, 
is not solid, but contains a watery tasteless fluid 
in cellular meshes. A dried insect weighs about 
two grains, which is mostly wax. 
“ This is the one from which the candle is 
made. 
“ A wax insect is found on some of the acacias 
about one-eighth of an inch long, convex, smooth, 
and in large masses. 
“ One about the same size I have found on 
the tea-tree ( Melaleuca ) . It lives on the leaves, 
many of which are covered with insects. These 
are very curious, and when young have ten 
arms like a miniature starfish. Under a low 
magnifying power they are beautiful objects. 
As the insect increases in size the arms coalesce. 
“ A wax insect, half an inch long, is found on 
oranges and other trees. The convex dorsal 
surface is reddish and powdery, but to its pos- 
terior margin grow waxy hairs to a considerable 
distance. The upper surface of the mass is 
furrowed as if marked by the teeth of a comb. 
Under the microscope the wax is seen to con- 
sist of spiral fibres, which, when broken, appear 
as rings. 
“ Wax is found on the bodies of most insects of 
this order, and becomes a protecting medium. 
It is frequently employed to make a nest for the 
eggs. The white patches on the gum trees con- 
sist of wax in which are found eggs of a species 
of hopper. The wax in this case grows on 
the abdominal scales of the mother. In the 
large galls found on various eucalypti a 
waxy powder enables the contained insect 
to move about inside its house with less 
friction than would otherwise occur. Lastly, the 
insect resolves herself into a myriad of minute 
insects, which creep out of the opening in the 
apex of the gall. 
“ A scale insect on the mistletoe is enclosed in 
a pearly shell of wax. 
“ The silvery substance that colors the cochi- 
neal insect consists of wax. 
