Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1905-01-11

duction and general conclusions rela-
tive to the economic value of this little
friend, farmers cannot be too careful
and should not fold their arms and
content themselves with the let-alone
policy. thinking that nature with an
army OF besiegers will come to their
relief. Fruit growers should do every
Thing In their power to demonstrate
the practical utility of colonizirg these
friendly little beetles from China, SAYS
Orange Judd Farmer, but al the same
time they should leave nothing undone
10 care for their orchards and protect
them from the ravages OF these pests.
while the little beetle is becoming &C
climated and thoroughly established.
In recent report, Dr. John B
Smith, state entomologist of New Jer-
sey, says: 1T would almost seem as
II New Brunswick was really beyond
the northern limit to which this beetle
can be expected to do good work" Mr.
Marlatt, however, has shown that in
Asia its range north is much greater
and that our climatic conditions can
scarcely be said TO be beyond the ex-
perience of the species. DIR. Smith met
with another encouragement which
has not been observed in Georgia and
other southern states. A small, black
ish wasp appeared in the cages at New
Brunswick. as well as those at Wash
ington, which destroyed fully one
third or more OF the larvae O. pupae
of the friendly little beetles Dr.
Smith estimated that as many as 20
OF these little wasps were developed
within the body of single full-grown
larvae or pupae. With the San Jose
scale feeding on the trees and the scale
being devoured by the lady BEETLES.
while the latter in turn Is destroyed by
the little wasp. we are reminded of the
old adage: The little fieas thai do us
tease, have other fleas to bite them;
these in turn have other fieas, and so
on ad inf1nitum. This warfare in ma
ture is an exceedingly interesting one,
and we do not in any way wish to- I'M
derestimate the value of scientific in
vestigations along these lines. There
are several instances on record where
factors of this sort have been of great
practical value.
At Washington. the beetle begins
laying it's eggs in April and continues
throughout May At New Brunswick.
DIR. Smith is of the opinion that the
eggs are not laid before the latter part
Of May. The larvae that hatch from
these eggs are spiney creatures. such
as is shown In the picture. When fully
developed. II is OF rather duII. flesh
color. They feed by preference on the
young scale. The early speo linens.
coming out in April or May depend on
the old scale almost entirely. since In
New Jersey and further north, no
young scales appear until June II is
really this early brood OF larvae which
should be of the greatest benefit. be-
cause the scale eaten during May are
mostly females. which means an i'm
n,ense decrease in the breeding posi-
Utilities. The beetles in New Jersey
have failed thus far along this line.
because they have not gotten 10 work
early enough 10 reduce the frst scale
mothers
The Chinese beetle resembles very
MUCH our native species of lad beetle.
which is jet black with two. br ght-red
spots on It's back. To the average
fruit grower. these two insects i'm the
adult stages are indistiguishable. but
10 The trained eye can be separated.
owing 10 little difference i'm size. ont
line and color On the other hand. the
young Of the two species are quite diff
1eTent, The larvae of the native form
is b.ackish. with whitisb transverse
bands. while the branch spines are
very much longer ana more prominent
The young Of the Chinese species is
a spiney- fesb-colored grub. as
shown in The picture.