Tea Scale
Fiorinia theae
This record describes Fiorinia theae (species). Recorded family: Diaspididae. Recorded order: Hemiptera.
Identification and Appearance
A common pest of camellia. Indigenous to Asia, found in the US in 1908 already well established. Several wasps native to the United States, Aphytis diaspidis and two species of Aspidiotiphagus parasitize this non-native species
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Hemiptera (True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies)
- Suborder
- Sternorrhyncha
- Superfamily
- Coccoidea
- Family
- Diaspididae (Armored Scale Insects)
- Genus
- Fiorinia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Louisiana. It has also spread to Texas and California
About True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies: the wider group
Order-level background for Hemiptera, the group containing Fiorinia theae. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Hemiptera (true bugs) includes over 80,000 described species across cicadas, aphids, leafhoppers, shield bugs, and bed bugs. Aphids alone cost global agriculture an estimated $2.5 billion annually in crop losses.
Ecological role of the group
Many Hemiptera are essential food sources for birds and predatory insects. Cicadas provide massive nutrient pulses during emergence events - a single Brood X emergence can involve trillions of individuals across 15 states.
Economic and practical significance of the group
The brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys) caused $37 million in apple crop losses in a single year in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region. Bed bug infestations in the U.S. increased by 500% between 2001-2010, costing the hotel industry hundreds of millions annually.
Recorded sources for this group: USDA, EPA, University research. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.