The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-12-18
NOT THE wooLLY MAPLE SCALE.
What IL the Insect Pest That Infcsts
Seattle Trees?

What IL the Insect Pest That Infeso
Seattle Trees?
SEATTLE, Dec. 0. 1898.
To THE EDITOR: In the issue Of the
Posr-isTELLIaEscER Of December 4. under
head of Northwest news. is the following
statement:
1.-THE insect known in this state as the
cottony maple scale belongs TO different
species from the eastern scale and should
be differently named. 1t Is never found
on the maple but clings to the bark OF the
poplar and willow" In the first biennial
report of the Washington state board of
horticulture, pages 81 and So, under the
head of "Woollsy Maple Bark Louise"
tpulyinaria innumerabilis), is given very
good description of what is known as the
wooily maple scale, also these statements:
''This scale infests maple trees, current
bushes and fruit trees" s'They also at
tack the ounce tree and current bush"
Again, "Quitc number of fruit trees in
several yards of both Tacoma and Seattle
are infested with this maple scale"
The writer has searched in this city for
the woolly maple scale, and 30 far has not
been able to find single specimen which
answers TO the description referred to, or q
single scale on any maple tree. Further,
on careful examination of maple trees the
oyster shell scale. Mytilaspis Pomorum Of
Bouche, Is quite numerous on these trees.
In numerous yards of this city will be
found on apple and pear trees and on haw-
thorne bushes a scale which. In the writer's
opinion. may have been seen by the au-
thor of the article IN the report of the state
board of horticulture and mistaken by him
for the woolly maple scale.
The insect so well described in lit
tie work by II. Meade Bland, Phi. d., en-
titled chronological Excursions" pub
lished by Smith e. Wilcox. San Jose, 1891,
as the cottony cushion scale. comes much
nearer 10 description of the Scale here
under examination. We give here his de-
scription in full:
''lf, in the course of your rambles, you
should find a tree upon whose branches
are clusters of white scales, aud if on
closer examination you should find these
scales move freely, that they have six legs,
that the head and body are covered with q
mesiy or posdery substance, that the yell
lowish white portion Is soft cottony bag.
is an egg sack containing oblong ovate
eggs of a pale red color. you have found
the ravenous cottony cushion scale, which
Is a representative of the mealy bug sub
family of scales. The female before spin
ming her egg sack is oval in form, her mar
gin is bordered with spinnerets by means of
which she spins her egg sack. which con-
tains from go to 500 eggs. rarely ZOO The
young scale tiaryal is darkiy reddish in
color. It's sntenn- is six jointed with the
last joint dubbed and larger than the rest.
The legs are long and slender. The six
anal bristles are long and prominent.
standing on tubercles. When fully grown
the antennm Of the female Is eleven
jointed. She begins 70 spin her yellowish
white egg sack. becoming more and more
sluggish"
The writer has before him ;wigs cut from
apple. pear and hawthorn. growinr in
prominent gardens In Seattle, on which
are numerous specimens of this scale.
which shows il in different stages of
growth, from the size Of pin point 10 an
eighth of an inch across. They are oval
aud about two thirds as wide as long; the
center line showing a ridge with lateral
slight ridges. covered with minute grains
OF redish brown powder; the color is
tishtess at the outer rim. On the under
side may be distinctly seen the four spin-
nerets. two on each side, The sue ker nav
also be distinguished near the center by a
good lens. The covering when carefully
c.eaused from the dark, internal heshv
portion Of the insect, is transparent and
leashery. The legs are very hard to dis
tnguish. II prssen. on the samples largely
grown. bat can Re seen as very thin, long.
hair-sike on the very young insects.
Az this season % the year thew all lie
dormant ard seem only 10 draw sap from
- res 4 II. L
part Of The bark Is cut away under the
insect, broSa ring will be found. some
times severa. times larger than the insect
Itself, which, according 20 John Sterling
Kingsley. i due ia the poisonous effect
thar the insect has by injecting a auid 10
;hin the sap, IS \ mosquito injects = rois-
onoaS daid - thin the blood of IN. ant
maj which IL attacks The insect will lie
dormant anti spring weather warns the
sig and then the scale wll begin the spin-
ming Of its cotton snd laying Us eggs,
which the writer has observed 20 he 90
long. about oae-hAf longer than wide.
re3ish IN color and hatch very rapldly
within tire ball Of cotton. which is spun at
the sAras time ;ae parent animal Is shrsvsl-
Ing ~ aud leaving only the cotton aud
scale as = covering for her brood OF fron
80 - So yonns.
These yoHaE sr2.ss. OF larv -. make this
eoison under the roof scale ;aesr home
While going cgt and IN making excar-
sens ~ procure ioci unul s;rong enough
and old saopgA 10 produce scales ol their
own.
In speaking 81 scale insects. John Saerl.
Ing ksaEsisy says The Standard Nasaras
History, =, SiN seattle yaalie hoyaFvl:
More than 80 sPSS.ss .; tAsss sasisus