Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1921-02-03
The Ladybird Express.


iru't Of the country, was seriously
threatened BY a foreign insect, called
the cottony-cushion scale, which was
Drought in from abroad.
Since, as its name implies, the
cottony- cushion scale was covered with
secretion like floss or cotton il was
found impossible 10 kill il BY spraying
with insecticides, for the cotton cover
ING prevented the spray from reaching
the body of the insect. So the scientific
men went back TO the land from which
these scale insects had come and found
That in their home they we're held in
check BY ladybird-much the same
KIND of ladybird, or ladybug, TO which
children sing the rhine, Ely away
home"
these ladybirds were put into little
cages covered with cheesecloth or wire
netting; they were provided with scale
insects to eat on the journey and were
brought 10 California, where they we're
kept Tor while in an insectary. when
their numbers had increased they were
placed in cage-like boxes and sent
wherever the cottony-cushion scale
was threatening the oranges and the
lemons. Now the State of California
is almost free from this destructive
pest, and the citrous industry has been
saved
AT the great insect incubator in the
capitol grounds at Sacramento they
rear millions and millions of ladybirds,
and all that man has to do, il he has
scale insects in his grove or his orchard,
is to write or telegraph to the insectarv.
and on the next train will go the little
boxes, all wrapped and labeled, with
several hungry ladybirds ready to clean
up the scale insects. After a man has
called at the express Office and paid
the charges he takes the boxes into the
orchard, opens the covers and the hun
CRY ladybirds fly away, soon to find their
dinner in the shape of scale insects.
Not only the parent ladybird but also
The worm, or larval form of the lady
bird, feed upon these pests. They feed
continually, for they have enormous ap-
petites, and the orchard is soon free
from scale insects.
| Recently man in Shasta County
wrote for supply of ladybirds. On the
next train went the colonies, all ready
for work; but when they reached their
destination the mar, who lived back in
the country on ranch, could not be
reached by telephone.
The poor freight agent was at his wits
end; he did not know what to do. He
was afraid that il he did not feed the
ladybirds, they would die, and he
should have to pay for them. Finally
he telegraphed to Sacramento:
Cant locate consignee. What shall
| do with the ladybirds ?"
And the Sacramento Insectary tele.
graphed back:
"Open the boxes and let them fly
away"
or course that was the thing to do,
for were they not within a few miles
of the orchard ? Their instinct would
lead them to their food just as surely
and almost as quickly as if the ORCH
ardst had put them upon the trees
himself.
So the secret Of pest control is 'put
OF the bag" and science has solved it..
When we get foreign insect pest and
cannot control it we 60 back to its
native land and find another insect
that is not pest and bring it home
to destroy the evil one. At the present
time the State Of California has a man
in South Africa, not far from the ia
nous diamond fields, breeding insects
to bring back to California to kill the
destructive black scale that has become
so serious in citrpus and in olive
orchards. Another man is in Japan,
where he will stay for three years in
order to find the natural insect enemies
Of the japanese beetle.
Only few years ago a man went to
Smyrna to find out how Smyrna figs
were pollinated. Soon we shall moi
have to depend upon Smyrna for figs,
for California will be producing plenty
OF them. Another man went all over
India and the Philippines, looking for a
friendly bug to kill the white flies
which are so destructive to various
kinds Of citrous fruits; but sad to re.
late, although he found the friendly
insects and transported them from in
terror India to the coast in wagon
trains, all Of them were dead by the
time they opened the box cages in
| EI0rido