. Bulletin of the Department of Agriculture. Agriculture. -Adult of t<cyi)nu, Greatly enlarged. this insect was on such an effective commercial basis tliat timely future attention wouhl effectively hold it in check. NATURAL ENEMIES. Though the ant control, bantlin*;. and ti'unk sprayin^^ have given excellent control of the citrophilus mealybuo-, the importance of its natural enemies in conjunction with this artificial means of con- trol needs emphasis. The nat- ural enemies are very effective against light infestations, if the ants are not present, and even in heavier infestations are
. Bulletin of the Department of Agriculture. Agriculture. -Adult of t<cyi)nu, Greatly enlarged. this insect was on such an effective commercial basis tliat timely future attention wouhl effectively hold it in check. NATURAL ENEMIES. Though the ant control, bantlin*;. and ti'unk sprayin^^ have given excellent control of the citrophilus mealybuo-, the importance of its natural enemies in conjunction with this artificial means of con- trol needs emphasis. The nat- ural enemies are very effective against light infestations, if the ants are not present, and even in heavier infestations are impor- tant in assisting to destroy the insects on the foliage and trunks following spray treatment. The most effective natural enemies present in the groves are all predators and appear to rank in order of importance as fol- lows: Chryso'pa spp. (fig. 9), Leucopis hella Loew (fig. 10), and Scymnus sordidits Horn (fig. 11). They breed freely in the cottony mass of ovipositing fe- males on the trunks, although by no means noticeably reducing the mealybug on heavily infested trees. It is, however, following the migration of the mealybug larvae to the tender fruit and foliage that the effectiveness of these nat- ural predators is most felt. Here they search out and destroy the young mealy- bugs, and in the case of light infestations frequently prevent the development in- creasing to severe proportions. Chrysopa and Leucopis are usually most numerous during the late spring and summer, wdiile Scvmnus is most effective during the early fail. The natural predators of primary im- portance in controlling the common mealy- bug, namely, Sympherohius spp. and Hyperaspis lateralis Muls., are of very secondary value against the citrophilus mealybug. Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Muls. (figs. 12, 13), however, is very effective against either species. This predator was first tried against the citrophilus species by the writers at Alhambra during. Fig. 12.—Larva of Ciiiptohif miis montrouzieri.
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