Cottony Camellia Scale
ExploreInsects
Cottony Camellia Scale
pulvinaria camelicola
The Cottony Camellia Scale is a tiny bug that covers itself in a fluffy, white cotton-like substance. These little insects love to munch on the leaves of camellia plants!
Habitat: Gardens, parks, and areas with camellia plants
Appearance
The Cottony Camellia Scale is a small insect with a flat, oval, reddish-brown body. It is often hidden beneath a prominent, fluffy white, cottony egg sac, making it visually distinct from typical insects.
KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassInsectaOrderHemipteraFamilyCoccidaeGenusPulvinaria
Category
InsectsRarity
Common
Danger
0/5 · No known danger
Snaps
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Interesting facts
A single female can lay hundreds of eggs, leading to incredibly quick infestations!
Baby scales, called crawlers, are the only mobile stage before they settle and feed!
Some ant species act as 'farmers,' protecting these scales for their sweet honeydew!
These scales are often mistaken for patches of cotton or fungal growth on plants!
Special abilities
Ability
Honeydew Producer
Cottony Camellia Scale can excrete sweet honeydew that helps them attract ants for protection against predators.
Ability
Cottony Cocoon
Cottony Camellia Scale has a unique ability to create a dense, white waxy ovisac to protect its eggs.
Ability
Sap Siphon
Cottony Camellia Scale has specialized piercing-sucking mouthparts that help them extract nutrient-rich sap from plants.
Measurements & details
- Size
- 3-7 mm
- Lifespan
- 60-90 days
- Leg Count
- 6
Diet & Feeding
These tiny plant pests drink sweet sap from many types of plants.
Primary Foods
- Camellia sap
- Holly sap
- Citrus sap
- Rhododendron sap
- Gardenia sap
- Magnolia sap
Ecological connections
eats
Green Lacewing
Chrysoperla carnea
Lacewing larvae prey on scale insects.
depends on
Japanese Camellia
Camellia japonica
The scale feeds on sap from camellia plants.
parasitizes
Parasitic Wasp
Coccophagus insidiator
This tiny wasp lays eggs inside the scale.
symbiotic with
Yellow Crazy Ant
Anoplolepis gracilipes
Ants protect scales for their honeydew.
Traits
Social
Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring.
Arboreal
Arboreal animals live primarily in trees, utilizing them for shelter, food, and protection from predators.
Colorful
Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
Herbivorous
This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
Decomposer
Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.
Also known as
Camellia ScaleCottony ScalePulvinaria
Safety
Danger
0/5 · No known danger
No special safety notes yet.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big is Cottony Camellia Scale?
3-7 mm
How long does Cottony Camellia Scale live?
60-90 days
What does Cottony Camellia Scale eat?
These tiny plant pests drink sweet sap from many types of plants.
Where is Cottony Camellia Scale usually found?
Gardens, parks, and areas with camellia plants
How many legs does Cottony Camellia Scale have?
6
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