Page:The Olive Its Culture in Theory and Practice.djvu/135

Rh has the aspect of a tortoise shell, and is of a dark chestnut color, very convex, with the ridge in the middle of the back and the two lateral ones very distinct. As soon as the larva hatches, it leaves its covering and the mother dies. The habits of this insect and the methods for its destruction are the same as given for the Coccus oleae.

On the branches that are somewhat languid where dried berries and leaves are adherent, can be found in the forks, and at the stem of the leaves, small excrescences, like a grain of corn, the color of the dry wood. On opening one, an outside shell is seen, and in this is a soft heart shaped body or sack which is orange color and enveloping as many as thirty eggs. In April the egg has the germ well developed, and in May the larva appears. It is oblong-ovoid, and has the antennae and feet shorter and more robust than the Coccus oleae just described. The antennae are six jointed and terminating in a group of bristly hair. The femora are very large and on the last abdominal ring there are three short appendages, each terminating in a short bristle. The ultimate transformation of this insect has never been ascertained. The damage done by it however is identical with that of the Coccus oleae, and the proper method of destroying it is to cut off and burn the infected branches.

This insect is also called the olive louse. The damage caused by it is very similar to that previously described.

The larva is soft, oblong, and narrow behind, orange colored, antennae whitish, feet black. The head is square in front, curving in at the top, the eyes protruding, and placed midway the length of the head; antennae short and thick, rings of the thorax large. The abdomen has eight rings which are fringed on the sides with stiff hair. Feet and femora robust, tibia as long as the femora, tarsi short and thick, and like the tibia, terminating in short fine bristles.