# Euonymus Scale (*Unaspis euonymi*)

The Euonymus Scale is a tiny bug that loves to hide on plants. It can be hard to see because it blends in with the leaves, but it helps show how plants can be affected by pests.

- **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Urban areas

![Euonymus Scale](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Unaspis_eounymi_1435062.png&width=800)

Photo: Clemson University - USDA Cooperative Extension Slide Series 's Images, CC BY 3.0 us · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Unaspis_eounymi_1435062.png)

## Appearance

The Euonymus Scale has distinct forms; females are pear-shaped, white-gray with a brown head shield. Males are pure white, slender, and covered in a waxy, felt-like shield. These color and shape differences make them easy to tell apart on plants.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Arthropoda
- **Class:** Insecta
- **Order:** Hemiptera
- **Family:** Diaspididae
- **Genus:** Unaspis

## Interesting facts

- Adult female scales never move once they find a spot, staying put for their entire life!
- Males are so small and delicate, they don't even have mouths to eat after emerging!
- Their waxy covering protects them, almost like tiny, individual houses they build.
- These tiny insects can make entire plant branches look like they're covered in white fuzz!

## Special abilities

- **Waxy Armor:** Euonymus Scale has a hard, waxy shield that helps them hide from predators and protects their soft bodies.
- **Sap Sucker:** Euonymus Scale can pierce plant stems to drink sugary sap that helps them grow and make more scales.
- **Sticky Start:** Euonymus Scale crawlers can walk with tiny legs to find new spots before sticking down for life.

## Measurements & details

- **Size:** 1-2.5 mm
- **Lifespan:** 3-365 days
- **Leg Count:** 6
- **Colony Size:** 5000

## Diet & Feeding

Tiny insects that pierce plant stems to drink vital sap and grow.

- **Primary Foods:** Euonymus fortunei, Pachysandra terminalis, Hedera helix, Celastrus orbiculatus
- **Foraging Method:** Foraging

## Ecological connections

- **Eats:** Wintercreeper (*Euonymus fortunei*) — Main host plant, scales feed on its sap.
- **Eats:** Japanese Spurge (*Pachysandra terminalis*) — Another common host, often heavily infested by scales.
- **Hunts:** Kuwana Scale Lady Beetle (*Chilocorus kuwanae*) — A predatory beetle that specifically feeds on scale insects.
- **Parasitizes:** Euonymus Scale Parasitoid Wasp (*Coccobius euonymellae*) — Tiny wasp lays eggs inside the scale, killing it.

## Traits

- [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.
- [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment.
- [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
- [Armored](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/armored): Armored describes animals protected by a hard, external covering or shell for defense.
- [Miniature](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/miniature): Pertaining to species that are significantly smaller than typical or average for their kind.
- [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces.

## Collections

- [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

It's best to look at bugs from a distance and not touch them.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Euonymus Scale?

Look for six legs, antennae, three body sections and the shape of the wings. Beetles have hardened front wings; flies have just one working pair. Tiny insects may need a close view before their group is clear. Insect Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How big is Euonymus Scale?

1-2.5 mm

### How long does Euonymus Scale live?

3-365 days

### What does Euonymus Scale eat?

Tiny insects that pierce plant stems to drink vital sap and grow.

### Where is Euonymus Scale usually found?

Urban areas

### How does Euonymus Scale hunt?

Foraging

### How many legs does Euonymus Scale have?

6

### How large are Euonymus Scale colonies?

5000

## More Insects

- [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*)
- [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*)
- [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*)
- [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*)

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Source: [Euonymus Scale: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/euonymus-scale)