Acanthococcus

Acanthococcus is a genus of felt scales (family Eriococcidae), sap-feeding insects in the order Hemiptera. These small, sessile insects form white, felt-like coverings on host plant bark and are significant pests of ornamental and agricultural plants. The most economically important species is Acanthococcus lagerstroemiae (crapemyrtle bark scale), an invasive pest in the United States since 2004 that infests crapemyrtles and other plants. Acanthococcus species exhibit incomplete metamorphosis, with females producing ovisacs containing hundreds of eggs. Their feeding causes branch dieback, reduced flowering, and honeydew accumulation that supports sooty mold growth.