Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1898-07-13

an illustrated supplement containing
additional information in this NJ after.
THE COTToNY MAPLE-SCALE
: This scale or bark-louse is found in
most parts of the state infesting a
large number of plants but chiefly the
box-elders, soft naples, grape vines,
Virginia creeper and others. In some
cases this enemy of shade trees is so
numerous as to seriously injure them
and if not checked will cause their
death. At this time they are found
upon the smaller branches where they
occur in large colonies. Each scale
is of brownish black color aud be-
low it is found white cottony matter
which when touched is seen to be very
sticky, drawing out and c1inging to
the finger like spider web. This
white material covers innumerable
eggs which are Matching at the present
time. The scale itself is dark brown
or black, saddle-shaped and ]eathery
disk, about one-eighth of an inch in
diameter, with some wrinkles on the
back. This disk is the body of
the insect which secreted the
white mass of fbres containing from
1000 to 1000 small pink eggs. At the
present time all the old scales are
dead hence no matter how densely the
white objects may occur upon the
branches they can no longer cause any
injury, and it would not be worth
while to attempt to remove them.
But now is the very best time in which
this injurious insect can be killed. As
already mentioned the eggs are just
Matching, Or have Matched, and the
young are very minute and tender
young lice, which do not yet posses a
scale, are very active, running about
very freely in search of places on
which to dwell and in which to feed.
They soon settle down upon the leaves
or soft bark; here they insert their
long and thread-like beaks and pump
up the liquid sap they need for their
food. The body of these young lice is.
soft and quite fat, clinging closely to
the surface of the object they have Sc
lected; they so closely resemble it that
they are not readily detected. Still a
sharp eye will have no trouble in find
ing them upon the leaves. Gradually
a waxy and waterproof coat is formed
over their skins. The male louse is
considerably smaller than the female,
and in few weeks ceases to grow, be-
comes stationary, and changes to- a
pupa inside the larval skin, which, js
covered with a thick coat of wax: The
males emerge in August or September
and after having populated they die.
The fertilized females, however, con-
tinue to grow until autumn when they
leave their former home, the leaves,
and migrate to the twigs, where they
remain dormant over winter. In the
spring their bodies become convex and
the eggs arerapidly developed. These
latter are laid from the middle of May
or the first of June till into July.
This is in a few words the life histo-
ry of the cottony maple scale. A tree
once infested with few lice becomes
soon covered by multitudes,. If the in
sects are not checked by parasites,
cannibal insects or by unsuitable cli-=
matte conditions. The young lice can
only spread the trouble, as they are
they are. the only ones that can migrate
from place to place. Yet nutwith-
standing that they are very active they
can spread only over the tres in which
they were born. Of course if the trees
are SO close together that the branch4
7es interlace all neighboring tree will.
soon be invaded, The English SPAR
row besides its other bad qualities Isl
In the habit Of utilizing. this cottony.
scale to line it's nest. andyin doing so.
the insect Is. carried about from ttees
to tree, from park to- park and new
trees are constantly infested i ID this
way. Other birds also carry sha
young lice on their feet. Y &.
The cottony maple scales have m1I
enemies m which. y deyonr large numbers
Of them, especiafly u the various kindss
OF Lad ybugs are very active In deci-s
mating their mum bers, and should AZ
ways be. protected. 81.
The only effective remedy isI Eero-