102 FIFTH REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL COMMISSION. 
ering the larval skin near the anterior end. This scale is of the same color as that of 
the female. 
Length, a little more than l mm (.04 inch) ; breadth nearly £ mm (.02 inch). 
Habitat.— Oil the bark of the limbs of willow oak (Quercus phellos) at Washington, 
D. C. 
Described from forty females and very many scales of each sex. 
The scale of this species resembles very much that of Aspidiotus tenehricosus which 
occurs on red maple. That scale, however, is much more convex than this one, and 
its diameter is only one-half as -real. 
52. A8terodia8pi8 quercicola (Boucbe'). 
(Plate xx vin, Fig. 4.) 
The females of this genus resemble those of Asterolecanium Targ.- 
Tozz. Around the lateral edge and upon the dorsum are spinnerets, 
which secrete a fringe which persists upon the sides but which upon the 
back melts down and forms a continuous whole, which constitutes in 
the old individuals a hard and consistent shield, slightly iridescent, 
which covers the whole insect. When the females have deposited their 
eggs the body shrinks up into the cephalic end of the covering so that 
there appears to be only a sac inclosing the eggs, which one would nat- 
urally take to be the body of the female. The male scale is of a long 
oval, with a weak median carina, and showing under the microscope 
an elegant fringe around the edge similar to that of the female scale. 
(Comstock, 1880.) 
Adult female. — Of a dark brown or a clear yellow color, nearly round in outline, fur- 
nished at the anal extremity with a rounded lobule and above with transverse 
strke, which represent the abdominal segmentation. Diameter from l mm to 2 mm . 
The skin is covered with quite a large number of tubular spinnerets. The circum- 
ference of the body is ciliated witbja fine radiating fringe secreted by openings upon 
the edge of the body. This fringe is double, formed of a row of large tubes joined 
together two by two, secreted by double openings, and another row, smaller, secreted 
by smaller openings placed below the others. 
These insects are very closely applied to the bark, forming for themselves, in fact 
slight depressions, so that it is very difficult to lift them. Occasionally, however, 
one of the yellow scales (in which the body of the insect has shrunken up to the end) 
is slightly elevated a$ one side, perhaps to allow for the exit of the young. On lift- 
ing one of the scales there remain upon the bark floury marks corresponding to the 
stigmata. 
Male— The male scale is of a long oval, l ninl in length by .6 mm in width ; of a clear 
brilliant yellow with a weak median carina, and with a fringe similar to that of the 
female. 
The male is brownish yellow upon the head and thorax, and of a clearer yellow 
upon the abdomen, the base of which is a little darker ; the antenme and legs almost 
black, the prothorax and mesothorax darker than the rest, the transverse band of the 
metathorax perfectly black, as well as the eyes. The wings are large and of a trans- 
parent whitish gray. The abdomen is large and rounded; the stylet is dark yellow 
and .35°"" long. 
Habitat. — Upou the imported oaks on the Department of Agriculture grounds at 
Washington. Only the females were found and the male description is taken from 
Signoret. The species is not a common one in Europe, but is occasionally quite de- 
structive to au individual tree. (Comstock, 1880.) 
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