Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1913-10-23
Parasite Devours The Sam Jose Scale.

At recent meeting OF the Pennsylvania
State Horticultural Society, State Zoolog-
ist H. A. Surface announced that he had
discovered and was propagating and
disseminating parasite of the San Jose
scale, which is effectively and entirely
cleaning up the pest throughout entire
counties in Pennsylvania. For some
time he and his orchard inspectors have
been working On this subject and il was
not until he was certain of every impor-
tant detail that the announcement was
made.
This effective parasite Of the scale,
which has done more than all the COM
bined spray washes could accomplish, is
a very minute wasplike insect, so small
as scarcely to be seen by the unaided
eye. II is in fact not as large as the COM
ma used in ordinary newspaper print,
aad being light amber in color is not
readily seen, even by those who are
looking closely for it; but with miscro-
scope one can observe that the old scales
of the San Jose scale are perforated, or
full of holes, through which the parasite
escaped after having destroyed the host.
II is an internal parasite, feeding as a
Iarva inside of the soft body OF the San
Jose scale. This, of course, kills the
scale, and the parasite remains beneath
the shell and transforms TO chrysalid or
pupa, and later changes to a four-winged
wasplike insect belonging TO the entomo-
logical order known as Hymenoptera. II
then gnaws its way through the shell,
coming out near the top, leaving the holes
which show plainly that il is present and
engaged in the very commendable work
of cleaning up the worst fruit pest that
America has ever known.
Although this parasite is so small as
scarcely to be seen by the unaided eye,
il is so numerous and so effective that
it has entirely cleaned up the scale over
several counties in the southeastern por-
ton OF Pennsylvania, and entire orchards
that were badly infested year or two
ago are now clean, while nurseries that
had so much scale that they could not
obtain State license for selling trees a
year ago, are now so clean, from the re-
suits OF this parasite, that no live scale
whatever can be found in them, and they
are consequently authorized 10 sell and
ship their trees without utiumigation. Even
neglected or Seeding trees growing in
isolated places may show considerable
San Jose scale on the growth OF last year
and previous years, and have absolutely
none alive on the new growth OF twig or
fruit formed this year. This has been
observed carefully not only by Professor
Surface, but also by the inspectors, such
as Mr.. Pierce, OF York and Adams coun-
ties Mr.. Bowers, Of Lancaster and
Adams counties; Mr.. Windle, OF Chester
county; Prof. Grim, OF Berks county
and others.
Professor Surface has taken advantage
OF the opportunity TO gather specimens
OF parasitized scales from different parts
of the State, and keep them in small
cages TO rear the parasites, OF which he
has obtained specimens for study and
reference, and which he has photograph
ed together with the scales perforated by
them. Prof. J. S. Grim, OF the Kutztown
State Normal School, who during the
summer was member of the inspecting
force, has also reared and photographed
| them.