Parasites of the black scale,Saissetia oleae, in Africa

Abstract

does not appear. First page follows. Introduction The search for insect enemies of the black scale, Saissetia oleae (Bern.), in Africa in 1936-37 was incidental to an exploration made primarily for parasites of the red scale, Aonidiella aurantii (Mask.). The trip was financed in part by the citrus growers of California, who, through their organizations, had raised a fund to supplement that provided by the University of California for an exploration of South America for parasites of the red scale in 1934-35. Less than half the fund contributed by the growers was spent on the South American trip; hence, in 1936, H. S. Smith, in charge of beneficial-insect investigations for the University of California, recommended that the remaining portion be used to help finance a trip to Africa for the purpose of obtaining the red-scale parasite, Habrolepis rouxi Compere, and any other African parasites that might be of value in California for the control of insects injurious to citrus. This paper includes an account of the search for the black scale and its parasites ill Africa and the collection and shipment of material to California, with descriptions of six new species of chalcidoid parasites.