|
|
|
 Sent
to you
by e-mail
|
|
Simply
enter your details and hit the send button
more
info |
|
Click Here
Links
Advertise
Terms of Use
Contributors
About Us
Contact Us
|
 |
Go back
| Bookmark
| Print Page 
| E-Mail Us 
 
Photo: Dave Green
See larger image |
|
UK
Safari Tip:
Need help identifying creepy-crawlies? Try this superbly
illustrated fold out ID chart - click
here
|
|
Latin name: Coccoidea
Size: Approx 2mm to 6mm
Distribution: Found throughout the U.K.
Months seen: All year round, but especially noticeable in early summer.
Habitat: Found on the stems of plants and trees
Food: Plant sap
Special features: Male scale insects look like a tiny midge, while the
female has a shield-shaped body with no wings or legs. The males are rarely seen
and the females are able to reproduce without the males.
There are around 140 native species in the UK, and at least another 30 species
which have been introduced on imported plants. Scale insects are loathed by
gardeners, and are among the worst agricultural pests in the world. They damage
crops by drinking sap and injecting poisoned saliva.
The cotton wool-like fluff underneath the scale is the egg sac.
Each can contain hundreds of eggs, and they are able to have six generations a year.
UK Safari Creepy-Crawlies Section
|
|
|
