December, ’23] 
smith: scymnus binaevatus 
517 
as far as Sydney, Australia, where, owing to the necessity of making 
further investigations in that locality, he placed them aboard a steamer 
for San Francisco. This shipment like its precedessors was unsuccessful, 
and immediately upon its receipt Mr. Rust was advised of the situation 
by cable. He had very wisely left a stock in care of Mr. Mally at Cape¬ 
town and at once cabled him to send another colony to him at Sydney. 
This was done and by stopping at Honolulu enroute for fresh food for 
the ladybirds Mr. Rust was able to reach California with 29 living 
specimens. These were rushed to the Whittier Laboratory where they 
were given an opportunity to propagate, which they did so effectively 
that within a year approximately 250,000 were colonized throughout the 
state. 
Mr. Rust writes as follows with reference to this species: 
“In South Africa it is quite commonly encountered and does much 
beneficial work against various mealybugs, but in its native home it is 
preyed upon by a parasite which often decimates it, and so keeps it 
from being as effective a check on its host as would otherwise be the case. 
This parasite ( Homalotylus africanus Timb.) gave a great deal of trouble 
in the insectary at Capetown while material was being reared for ship¬ 
ment to California and it was only by exercising a good deal of patience 
that the parasite was finally eliminated and a good clean stock of lady¬ 
birds built up for shipment. However, this was finally accomplished 
and the coccinellids were brought to California without their parasite, 
so here they should increase very rapidly, being free of their hereditary 
foe.” 
Scymnus binaevatus is very distinct in appearance from any California 
species of the genus because of its greatly elongated body. It is blackish 
in color with a brown spot on each elytron. The larvae are very similar 
to those of other species of Scymnus, being covered with a white, waxen 
secretion. This ladybird has the habit of seeking crevices in bark and 
other hidden places for feeding, a habit which is of especial value in the 
case of certain mealybugs which would otherwise escape its attack. 
This ladybird has been colonized throughout the state, on Pseudo¬ 
coccus citri, P. gahani and P. maritimus. Besides southern California 
colonies, it has been liberated in the counties of Tulare, Fresno, Kings, 
San Joaquin and Alameda in northern California. The first field liber¬ 
ation was made in March, 1922. It has since been recovered in the 
orchards in abundance at Santa Monica, Pasadena, Alhambra, Oxnard, 
Rivera and San Fernando. As many as 50 adults have been found in a 
single burlap band. Recoveries so far have been made only in orchards 
