Coccidae
Guides
Ceroplastes cirripediformis
barnacle scale, barnacle wax scale
Ceroplastes cirripediformis, commonly known as the barnacle scale or barnacle wax scale, is a soft scale insect (Hemiptera: Coccidae) recognized for its distinctive waxy covering that resembles a small barnacle. It is a destructive invasive pest with a broad host range spanning numerous plant families. The species has expanded its range globally through human-mediated transport and climate change, with established populations across North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. Females reproduce parthenogenetically, producing up to a thousand eggs annually without observed males in wild populations.
Ceroplastes rusci
Fig Wax Scale
Ceroplastes rusci, commonly known as the fig wax scale, is a soft scale insect (family Coccidae) native to the Mediterranean region. First discovered in Florida in 1994-1995, it has since spread to numerous countries across six continents and is recognized as a significant agricultural and forestry pest. The species feeds on more than 94 genera from 52 plant families, with notable impacts on figs, citrus, grapes, and ornamental plants. Climate change modeling predicts expanding suitable habitat ranges through 2100, increasing its invasive potential in temperate regions.
Ceroplastes sinensis
Chinese Wax Scale
Ceroplastes sinensis is a cosmopolitan scale insect pest of commercial citrus and other woody plants. Native to Central or South America based on cladistic analysis, it has established populations across temperate regions including Australia, New Zealand, Mediterranean Europe, North America, and parts of Asia. The species produces a distinctive waxy covering and completes a single annual generation in temperate climates. It has become a significant agricultural pest, particularly in citrus groves, prompting development of integrated pest management sampling protocols and biological control efforts.
Coccus longulus
Long Brown Scale
Coccus longulus, commonly known as the long brown scale, is a soft scale insect in the family Coccidae. It has a broad global distribution spanning Europe, Africa, Asia, the Americas, and numerous Pacific islands. As a member of the soft scales, it likely feeds on plant sap and may produce honeydew, though specific biological details remain poorly documented in accessible literature.
Coccus viridis
green scale, green coffee scale, coffee green scale
Coccus viridis is a soft scale insect (Hemiptera: Coccidae) and major agricultural pest with a wide tropical and subtropical distribution. It reproduces parthenogenetically via thelytoky, with females producing 50-600 eggs that hatch within minutes to hours beneath the mother's body. The species completes its life cycle in 47-51 days at 25°C, with three nymphal instars before adulthood; first-instar nymphs actively disperse as 'crawlers' while older instars and adults become sessile. It is polyphagous, feeding on phloem sap of over 200 plant genera in 72 families, with primary economic damage to coffee, guava, and cacao crops.
Encyrtus
Encyrtus is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Encyrtidae, containing approximately 96 described species. These small chalcidoid wasps are specialized parasitoids of soft scale insects (Coccidae), playing important roles in regulating scale populations in both natural and urban ecosystems. Several species have been studied for their potential use in biological control of scale insect pests.
Eucalymnatus
tessellated scale
Eucalymnatus is a genus of soft scale insects in the family Coccidae. The best-known species, Eucalymnatus tessellatus, is native to South America and has spread to tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. Species in this genus are phytophagous and can become significant pests of ornamental plants, fruit trees, and palms in nurseries and landscapes.
Eucalymnatus tessellatus
Tessellated scale, Palm scale
Eucalymnatus tessellatus, commonly known as the tessellated scale or palm scale, is a soft scale insect (family Coccidae) native to South America. First described by Signoret in 1873 from specimens collected on a palm in France, this species has been disseminated worldwide through human activity on cultivated hosts. It is recognized as a pest in greenhouses, commercial nurseries, and landscapes—particularly in subtropical regions such as south Florida. The species belongs to a genus containing 17 species, most of which are neotropical in origin.
Luzulaspis
Luzulaspis is a genus of soft scale insects (family Coccidae) established by Targioni Tozzetti in 1868. The genus contains at least two described species: Luzulaspis americana, described from North America, and Luzulaspis bisetosa, described from Europe. These scale insects are found in temperate regions of Europe and North America. Very few observations exist in public databases, suggesting either rarity or undercollection.
Milviscutulus
mango shield scale
Milviscutulus is a genus of soft scale insects (family Coccidae) established by Williams & Watson in 1990. The genus contains at least one economically significant species, M. mangiferae, commonly known as the mango shield scale. Species in this genus are phloem-feeding herbivores associated with mango (Mangifera indica). The genus has been documented in Egypt, Australia (north Queensland), and Papua New Guinea.
New-genus-on-chrysobalanus
New-genus-on-chrysobalanus is a genus of soft scale insects (family Coccidae) associated with host plants in the genus Chrysobalanus. The genus name indicates its documented occurrence on Chrysobalanus species, which are tropical and subtropical woody plants. As a member of the Coccomorpha, it possesses the reduced morphological features characteristic of scale insects, including sessile adult females. The genus represents a specialized lineage within the Coccidae, though detailed biological studies remain limited.
Parthenolecanium
soft scales, lecanium scales
Parthenolecanium is a genus of soft scale insects in the family Coccidae. These hemipterans are dome-shaped, sap-feeding pests of woody plants including oaks, fruit trees, and grapevines. Several species are significant urban tree pests, notably P. quercifex (oak lecanium scale) and P. corni (European fruit lecanium scale). The genus exhibits variation in reproductive mode: some species reproduce by parthenogenesis, while P. corni reproduces sexually (gamogenesis). Many species have been documented as vectors of grapevine viruses.
Parthenolecanium quercifex
oak lecanium scale
Parthenolecanium quercifex, commonly known as the oak lecanium scale, is a native soft scale insect in the family Coccidae. Adult females are hemispherical, 4–7 mm long, and light to dark brown or gray with lateral humps. The species is prevalent in the eastern United States, primarily infesting oak trees but occasionally found on hickory and birch. It has one annual generation, with eggs laid in late May to June and crawlers hatching in June to early July. Heavy infestations can cause stunted foliage, chlorosis, twig death, and dieback, while moderate populations may support beneficial natural enemies.
Phalacrococcus
Phalacrococcus is a genus of soft scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccidae) established in 2010. The genus contains at least one exotic species, Phalacrococcus howertoni, which has been documented in Florida. As a member of the Coccidae family, these insects are sessile, sap-feeding pests that produce protective waxy coverings.
Phalacrococcus howertoni
Croton Scale
Phalacrococcus howertoni is a soft scale insect in the family Coccidae, described by Hodges and Hodgson in 2010. The species has been documented in Florida and is known by the common name Croton Scale. As a member of the Coccidae, it possesses the protective waxy covering characteristic of soft scales.
Prococcus acutissimus
banana-shaped scale
Prococcus acutissimus is a soft scale insect (family Coccidae) originally described from Sri Lanka in 1896. It is commonly known as the banana-shaped scale, reflecting its distinctive body form. The species has become widely distributed across tropical and subtropical regions, with records spanning the Indo-Pacific, Africa, the Caribbean, and North America. It is associated with diverse host plants and has been observed on agricultural crops, though specific economic impacts remain poorly documented.
Pseudokermes
Pseudokermes is a genus of scale insects in the family Coccidae, first described by Cockerell in 1895. These insects are soft scales that feed on plant sap. The genus is part of the diverse Coccidae family, which contains many economically significant agricultural pests. Species within Pseudokermes are relatively poorly documented compared to other coccid genera.
Pulvinaria
cottony cushion scales, soft scales
Pulvinaria is a genus of soft scale insects (family Coccidae) characterized by females that produce conspicuous cottony or flocculent wax ovisacs to protect their eggs. The genus includes economically significant agricultural and ornamental pests with broad host ranges spanning numerous woody plant families. Several species have invasive potential and have established beyond their native ranges, including P. aurantii, P. psidii, and P. urbicola. The genus exhibits considerable morphological variability, complicating species identification.
Pulvinaria acericola
Cottony Maple Leaf Scale
Pulvinaria acericola, commonly known as the Cottony Maple Leaf Scale, is a soft scale insect (family Coccidae) native to North America. Like other Pulvinaria species, the adult female produces a conspicuous white, cottony ovisac that houses eggs. The species is associated with maple and other woody plants, where nymphs and adults feed on phloem sap using piercing-sucking mouthparts. Heavy infestations can lead to honeydew accumulation and subsequent sooty mold growth.
Pulvinaria floccifera
Cottony Camellia Scale, Cottony Yew Scale, Cottony Taxus Scale
Pulvinaria floccifera is a soft scale insect (Coccidae) known for producing conspicuous white, cottony ovisacs that cover eggs. It is a significant pest of woody ornamentals including camellia, holly, yew, and tea plants. The species has a broad global distribution spanning temperate and subtropical regions. Females are sessile and wingless, while males develop wings for mating. Heavy infestations produce honeydew that supports sooty mold growth, reducing plant vigor and aesthetic value.
Pulvinariella
Pulvinariella is a genus of soft scale insects (Coccidae) established by Borchsenius in 1953. The genus includes species that are specialist phloem-feeders on succulent plants, particularly ice-plants in the genera Carpobrotus and Mesembryanthemum. Pulvinariella mesembryanthemi has been extensively studied as a potential biocontrol agent for invasive Carpobrotus species in coastal ecosystems. These scales exhibit density-dependent population dynamics and are influenced by host plant nitrogen and water conditions.
Toumeyella
tortoise scales, pine tortoise scales
Toumeyella is a genus of soft scale insects (family Coccidae) commonly known as tortoise scales. These sedentary, sap-feeding insects infest conifers and broadleaf trees, with females protected by a waxy, shell-like covering. Several species are significant forest and ornamental pests, including T. liriodendri (tuliptree scale) and T. pini (striped pine scale). The genus is characterized by phloem-feeding habits, honeydew production, and frequent mutualistic associations with ants.
Toumeyella liriodendri
tuliptree scale
Toumeyella liriodendri, the tuliptree scale, is a soft scale insect (Coccidae) native to North America and specialized on Liriodendron tulipifera (tuliptree or yellow-poplar). This univoltine species overwinters as second-instar nymphs on twigs, matures to adults in spring, and produces eggs that hatch into crawlers in early summer. First-instar nymphs feed on leaf undersides before migrating back to twigs in autumn. Males are unknown; reproduction is presumed parthenogenetic. Heavy infestations cause branch dieback, reduced growth, and honeydew production that supports sooty mold growth. The species has been the subject of recent genomic research, with a 536Mb genome assembly revealing it as an early-diverging soft scale with 17 chromosomes.
Toumeyella mirabilis
Toumeyella mirabilis is a soft scale insect in the family Coccidae, described by Cockerell in 1895. As a member of the genus Toumeyella, it shares characteristics with other soft scales that feed on plant vascular fluids and produce honeydew. The species occurs in North and Middle America, with records from the United States and Mexico. Like related species in the genus, it likely exhibits typical soft scale biology with sedentary adult females and mobile crawler nymphs.
Toumeyella pini
Striped Pine Scale
Toumeyella pini, commonly known as the Striped Pine Scale, is a soft scale insect native to North America. It is a significant pest of pine trees, particularly two- and three-needle pine species. The species exhibits pronounced sexual dimorphism in both morphology and feeding location: females are larger, highly convex, and develop on terminal twigs, while males are smaller, more elongate, and develop on needles. The species secretes copious honeydew, which attracts ants, wasps, bees, and flies, and can lead to sooty mold growth that inhibits photosynthesis. In southern Georgia, it completes three generations per year, with crawler activity peaking in May, mid-July to early August, and late October to early November.