The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-08-28

| this insect is capable of producing a
large number of young, and in warm
| climates produces in one year at least
nve broods. 1t Is easily seen there
fore that their rate of increase is enor-
nous. L have computed the number of
| individuals which a single female is
| capable of producing in one year, pro-
vided no accident occurred to any of
the offspring, and found that the in
sects, which are only about one-twelfth
of an inch across. would, if placed side
by side in a continuous line reach lust
about from the Atlantic ocean to the
Pacific. OF course in nature it would
be impossible for an insect to produce
so many, as they are preyed upon by
other insects, and greatly reduced by
wind and rain, but a very few individ-
uals on tree are capable of soon pro-
ducing enough to overspread it.
The insect acquires it's nourishment
from the bark and less often from the
leaves and fruit also, by inserting into
the tissues its long thread-like probos-
els and imbibing the juices.
The adult female of the insect is
without wings. feet or antennae and Is
helpless creature, attached to the tree
only by it's proboscis. 1t forms over it's
back a shield-like protection called a
scale, and composed in part of molted
skins from it's body and in part of a
wax-like glandular secretion. The
young are produced alive. there being
no egg stage, and soon after their ap-
pearance crawl out from under the
mother scale and seeks a suitable spot
to locate, and inserting the proboscis
begin the secretion of scale like that
of the parent. The male scale is small
err than that of the female and smoky
black, the female scale being whitish,
grayish or nearly black.
The male natures before the. fe-
IL
from under the scale, goes in quest of
the female.
The presence of this and of various
other species of scale insects is often
indicated by a redish ring surround
ing the scale. DIR. L. o. Howard,
United States entomologist, was first
to call attention to the fact that the
San Jose scale produces this marking,
and he believed at that time that it
was peculiar to this species He later
found that other and comparatively
harmless species produce the same dis
celebration. He at once corrected his
former statement, as it might be very
misleading.
Since this insect acquires it's nour-
ishment from beneath the surface it is
impossible to kill it by means of
poison. 1t is therefore controlled with
substances which kill by contact, or by
fumigation with poisonous gases.
Up to this time the cooling moth has
caused more damage to fruit industries
than the San Jose scale, because it is
more widely spread and more thor
oughly established.
The San Jose scale has done enor-
nous damage in many parts of the
country, having destroyed whole or
chards and nurseries. 1t has natural
enemies, but they are not sufficient to
control II.
There is small probability of the cod
ling moth being introduced into Mon
tana on imported nursery stock. while
the San Jose scale might readily be
brought in in that way. AS has been
pointed out, the cooling moth could fly
in search of fruit trees, and instinct
would draw it toward them.
Considering how dangerous the San
Jose scale and codling moth are it is
highly important that every effort be
made to exclude them.
r. A. COOLEY,
Zoologist, Montana College of Agricul-
ture and Mechanic Arts.