pecan giant scales
Neosteingelia texana
This record describes Neosteingelia texana (species). Recorded family: Kuwaniidae. Recorded order: Hemiptera.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Hemiptera (True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies)
- Suborder
- Sternorrhyncha
- Superfamily
- Coccoidea
- Family
- Kuwaniidae
- Genus
- Neosteingelia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
AL, AR, GA, FL, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA Also reported from southern Mexico (Oaxaca) by Gavrilov-Zimin (2022)
Seasonal Activity
Adult females appear on bark surface Sep-Oct (into Nov and Dec in Florida), where they are accompanied by males and mate.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Trees of several families, especially sweetgum ( Liquidambar styraciflua ), hickories and pecan ( Carya ), and maples ( Acer ). Also reported from hackberries ( Celtis ), ash ( Fraxinus ), and some iNaturalist reports of unidentified oaks ( Quercus ).
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Neosteingelia texana Morrison 1927
About True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies: the wider group
Order-level background for Hemiptera, the group containing Neosteingelia texana. 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 pecan giant scales (3)
Photo credits: Contributed by v belov; Additional contributions by Ray Fisher
Frequently Asked Questions About pecan giant scales
Where is pecan giant scales found?
Range: AL, AR, GA, FL, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA Also reported from southern Mexico (Oaxaca) by Gavrilov-Zimin (2022)
What does pecan giant scales eat?
The diet of the pecan giant scales includes Trees of several families, especially sweetgum ( Liquidambar styraciflua ), hickories and pecan ( Carya ), and maples ( Acer ). Also reported from hackberries ( Celtis ), ash ( Fraxinus ), and some iNaturalist reports of unidentified oaks ( Quercus )..
When is pecan giant scales active?
pecan giant scales: seasonal activity - Adult females appear on bark surface Sep-Oct (into Nov and Dec in Florida), where they are accompanied by males and mate..