Historic, archived document

Do not assume content reflects current
scientific knowledge, policies, or practices.

———

,

inlay

LR od

B-43 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 4 1 eee
BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY, i “a neh is ae
WASHINGTON, D C. p Ue Re DIG} mt

FOREST ENTOMOLOGY ii. BES SA A
April 18), 296.

Brief Information on

CrO Ch 0) Nov waa Pei SOA band eS: SC OON Bane Oi.

Cheracter and Extent of Injury.

The cottony maple scale attacks a great variety of trees and vines. Its
food consists of sap obtained by sucking from within the plant tissues. Occa-
sicnally the insect appears in great numbers when it seems to injure shade and

other trees materially.

Seasonal History.
This scale insect, even when present in great numbers, remains unnoticed
until about June when, at about the latitude of Washington, D.C., it is rendered
strikingiy conspicuous by the large, white, cottony egg mass which appears at
that time at the end of the body of the female insects. The eggs hatch in early
summer, though sometimes this hatching extends into August, and the young settle
upon the twigs and underside of leaves. In the fall the females migrate to the
twigs, where they remain unchanged through the winter, rapidly swelling in the

gpring and forming the egg mass in early summer. It thus produces but one gen-
eration annually. .

Natural Control.
Fortunately
and parasitic ins
rarely injurious in two consecutive years.
is due to weather Or other conditions unfavorable to its enemies.
Such conditions pass away, the pest disappears.

it is subject to destruction by a large variety of predaccous
ects, which annually check it quite promptly, so that it is
The sudden appearance of the pest
As soon as

Remedies.
Remedies are rarely necessary. Where occasion arises for their use, a

spray of dilute (summer strength) kerosene soap emulsion during the hatching
of the eggs (June and July) is certain to prove effective. The method of pre-
paring and applying this substance is given in the accompanying Brief.

A. D. HOPKINS,

Forest Entomologist.