Cottony Cushion Scale
Icerya purchasi
This record describes Icerya purchasi (species). Recorded family: Monophlebidae. Recorded order: Hemiptera.
Identification and Appearance
The white fluted part of the insect is an egg sac that can contain up to 1000 eggs. The insect is hermaphroditic, producing sperm that can fertilize its own ova, but in an alternate reproductive strategy it can also make winged males that can fertilize the female part of other individuals. When it first appeared in the w. US it was a major pest of Citrus crops. In CA, around 1889, it was an early success story for biological control by beneficial ladybird beetles ( Rodolia cardinalis ). ( Full story ) The control was so successful that in 1893 a Florida nurseryman asked for some of the beneficials to be sent to FL, to test as a control for other scale insects. The scale was included in the shipment as food for the beetles, and thus accidentally introduced to FL citrus.
Wikipedia reference for Icerya purchasi: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icerya_purchasi.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Hemiptera (True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies)
- Suborder
- Sternorrhyncha
- Superfamily
- Coccoidea
- Family
- Monophlebidae (Giant Scale Insects)
- Genus
- Icerya
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
s US and up the Atlantic seaboard - Map ; native to Australia
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Hosts include many plants, though in FL Citrus and Pittosporum (Pittosporaceae) are most commonly affected - UF
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Icerya purchasi Maskell 1878
About True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies: the wider group
Order-level background for Hemiptera, the group containing Icerya purchasi. 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.
Photos of Cottony Cushion Scale (3)
Photo credits: Contributed by Hannah Nendick-Mason; Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset , Mike Quinn , v belov
Frequently Asked Questions About Cottony Cushion Scale
What is Cottony Cushion Scale?
Cottony Cushion Scale (Icerya purchasi) is a species in the family Monophlebidae, within the order Hemiptera.
Where is Cottony Cushion Scale found?
Range: s US and up the Atlantic seaboard - Map ; native to Australia
What does Cottony Cushion Scale eat?
The diet of the Cottony Cushion Scale includes Hosts include many plants, though in FL Citrus and Pittosporum (Pittosporaceae) are most commonly affected - UF.