Ornate Pit Scale Insects

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Cerococcidae: /sɛɹoʊˈkɒksɪdiː/

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Summary

Cerococcidae, or ornate pit scales, is a family of scale insects characterized by their waxy protective tests and diverse species, with varying habitats and lifecycle stages.

Physical Characteristics

Adult females produce a protective waxy test that shields their body, which can be creamy or vary in shades of brown, orange, yellow, red, pink, or white. Male tests are smaller and narrower, developed in the second instar.

Identification Tips

Look for the characteristic waxy tests produced by females, which can vary in color. Male tests are typically smaller and narrower than those of females.

Habitat

Members of Cerococcidae can be found in various habitats worldwide, often associated with host plants.

Distribution

Cerococcidae is found in all regions of the world, with ~70 species across three genera globally, and 6 species in a single genus in certain areas.

Diet

Ornate pit scales are sap-sucking insects that feed on the sap of host plants.

Life Cycle

Females have three instar stages and males have five. Development includes a wintering stage where eggs hatch in spring, with an ambulatory first instar stage that disperses.

Reproduction

Eggs are laid in autumn, overwintering inside the female test, and hatch in spring.

Ecosystem Role

Cerococcidae play a role in their ecosystems as herbivores, influencing host plant health.

Collecting Methods

• Visual inspection of host plants
• Collection of waxy tests from plants

Preservation Methods

• Drying of specimens
• Alcohol preservation

Similar Taxa

• Coccoidea
• Other scale insects

Tags

• Cerococcidae
• ornate pit scales
• scale insects
• hemiptera
• coccoidea