Scale insect

A sap-feeding insect in the group Coccomorpha, often covered by a waxy or hard protective scale. Many species are sedentary as adults and attach to plants.

Coccomorpha: A diverse group of sap-feeding insects that includes scale insects, mealybugs, and related families. This is the insect group to which scale insects belong.
Stylet: A slender piercing mouthpart used by some insects to penetrate tissues and draw fluids. Scale insects use stylets to reach plant sap.
Pest control: Methods used to prevent, reduce, or manage organisms that damage crops or other resources. Control measures must account for the insects' protective coverings and mobile crawlers.
Cottony cushion scale: An Australian scale insect, Icerya purchasi, that feeds on citrus and many other plants. Its conspicuous cottony egg sac makes the protective structures easy to recognize.
Hemiptera: An insect order whose members feed using piercing, sucking mouthparts. Scale insects are highly modified members of this order.
Honeydew (insect secretion): A sugar-rich liquid excreted by insects that feed on plant sap. Excess sugars from scale insect feeding are released as honeydew.
Biological control: The use of natural enemies to suppress pest populations. Predators and parasitoids can reduce scale insect populations.
Armored scale insects: Scale insects in the family Diaspididae, whose bodies are covered by a separable protective cover. They exemplify the hard, shield-like covering associated with the group's name.
Phloem: The vascular plant tissue that transports sugars and other organic nutrients. Many scale insects tap this nutrient-rich tissue with specialized mouthparts.
Waxy cuticle: A lipid-rich surface layer that reduces water loss and can provide protection. Many species secrete wax that forms a protective covering.

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