The record-union., 1892-09-16
AFTER THE SCALE PESTS.
The New and Deadly Australian Para
sites are Established.
The Indications are That the Pests
VIII be Eradicated-Expert
Craw's Report.

A very Interesting and important re-
port on the progress being made by the
new parasites-introduced for the pur-
pose of destroying fruit-tree pests-has
just been received by Secretary B. M. Le-
long of the State Board of Horticulture
from Alexander Craw, the expert who
has been conducting the investigations.
In his report Mr.. Craw says:
SIN accordance with letter of instruc-
tons of August 18th, to proceed, together
with Albert Koebele, to Los Angeles,
San Gabriel, Orange and Santa Barbara.
and make an inspection and report upon
the condition of the beneficial insects
that have been placed there, and which
were sent over by Mr.. Koebele from
Australia during his recent mission to
that country, having completed said ex-
animation, l beg to submit herewith the
following report:
son August 31st Albert KoebeIe and I
visited the orange orchard of Albert F.
Kercheval, at Los Angeles, where the
first colonies of ladybirds from Australia
were placed, and which arrived last win
ter and spring. Beside us there were
present John Scott, Horticultural Com
missioner of Los Angeles County; D. w.
Coquillett, special agent of the Depart
ment of Agriculture; Henry w. Krucke-
berg, editor Rural CdIifOr7oid7t; Colonel J j.
r. Dobbins, A. Scott Chapman of San
Gabriel and others.
eve made very careful examination
of this place and found beetles. eggs.
larvae and pupe of the steel-blue lady
bird, OrcetS chdtg5euS. The first ship
mentS OF insects were received in very
feeble condition, and having, as Mr.
Koebele stated, hibernated in Australia
and probably deposited their eggs before
he captured them, the result of these first
However, later importations were re-
ceived in good condition, and upon our
visit we found sufficient of their eggs and
pup@ to justify the assertion that this
species has become established at Los
Angeles.
MIR. Koebele says that this is the in
sect that keeps the red scale (ASpedtotuS
durdntid) in check in the orange groves in
Australia, notwithstanding that parasite
preys on these ladybirds there, which
destroys fully fifty per cent. of their first
brood and about ninety per cent. of the
second brood. Great care was taken not
to Introduce this parasite, which is such a
deadly enemy to them. WheS Mr.. Koe-
belle discovered that the young of these
ladyblrds were preyed upon by parasite
he sent only mature beetles to California:
thus it may be safely said that it will
only be matter of time when we shall
reasonably hope for the rapid increase of
results from them than are obtained in
Australia. In another orchard at Los
Angeles, where colony had been placed,
we found but few beetles and larvae, but
enough TO show that at this place also
they had become established. The trees
at this place were large and had been
pruned high, so were somewhat difficult
to examine.
son September LIST John Scott, Hiram
Hamilton, Horticultural Commissioners
of Los Angeles and Orange Counties, re-
spectively, and 1 examined the orchard
where a colony OF the steel-blue lady
birds you sent Mr.. Hamilton had been
placed. We found these doing well, and
there were plenty of beetles and eggs
from which small larvae were Matching.
and were at work upon the red scale.
These ladybirds had only been out on the
trees sixteen days, and as they are breed
ing there successfully it is conclusive
proof that the earlier importations had
already deposited their eggs before they
arrived. On September ID John Scott,
Colonel j. r. Dobbins of San Gabriel,
Mr.. Koebele and inspected the Dobbins
orchard at San Gabriel, where one of the
first colonies OF these insects was placed.
OF these we Jailed to find any trace,
which was due to their bad condition
upon arrival. The box containing the
dead insects was produced, which estab-
lished this fact. A later importation
which you sent Mr.. Chapman sixteen
DAYS before our visit arrived in good
condition, but we did not find any on the
trees upon which they were placed; they
no doubt will make their appearance in
other portions of the orchard later on.
son September Sd, Mr.. Koebele and
visited Hon. Ellwood Cooper's orchard at
Santa Barbara. 1t was at this place that
several species were liberated in the open
orchard Immediately upon arrival. We
found four species that have become well
established, viz: OrcitS chGty6euS, Orcus
Australasia, HbizobiuS UeastraLiS and a
small scymnodes. Of all these we found
beetles, eggs, Larvae and pupa. The trees
upon which they were placed are infested
with black scale, and they are feeding
upon it. Mr.. Cooper placed these insects
in an orchard where he considered the
conditions as to temperature and protec-
ton from the prevailing winds favorable
for their colonization. On September 9th
visited the orchard at Haywards, Ala
media County; where Mr.. Koebele had
himself placed several species. I found
beetles of the OrcatS australasia and