Wax-producing-insects

Guides

• Eriococcidae

  Felt Scales, Eriococcids, Bark Scales

  Eriococcidae is a family of scale insects in the order Hemiptera, commonly known as felt scales or eriococcids. As of 2023, the family comprises 109 genera and 681 species. Members are phloem-feeding herbivores typically associated with specific plant hosts. The family is not monophyletic; recent ribosomal DNA research indicates it represents an aggregation of several distinct evolutionary lineages, with morphologically similar species sometimes being distantly related. Many species produce distinctive waxy ovisacs or induce galls on host plants.

  scale-insectsfelt-scalesgall-inducersphloem-feedersplant-pestsinvasive-specieswax-producing-insectsparthenogenesisMyrtaceae-associates

• 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.

  Coccidaescale-insectsagricultural-pestsinvasive-specieshoneydew-producersphloem-feederswax-producing-insectsurban-pestsfruit-tree-pestsornamental-pestsbiological-control-hosts