Soft scales
ExploreInsects
Soft scales
Coccidae
Soft scales are tiny insects that often live on plants. They have a soft, waxy covering that helps protect them from predators and the weather.
Habitat: Urban areas
Appearance
The Soft scales has a soft, often flattened or dome-shaped body, typically without visible segments. They come in various colors like brown, green, or pink, and lack the separate, hard protective shell found on 'hard scales'.
KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassInsectaOrderHemipteraFamilyCoccidae
Category
InsectsRarity
Common
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Snaps
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Interesting facts
A special type of ant sometimes 'farms' soft scales for their sweet honeydew snack.
Female soft scales can lay hundreds of eggs, ensuring many babies are born!
Some soft scales are so still they look like bumps on a plant, not insects!
They often live in huge groups, making the plant look like it has tiny, colorful jewels.
Special abilities
Ability
Honeydew Helper
Soft scales can excrete sugary honeydew that attracts other insects, which helps them form mutualistic relationships.
Ability
Waxy Cloak
Soft scales has a protective waxy layer that helps them resist pesticides and dehydration.
Ability
Self-Start Species
Soft scales can reproduce without a mate through parthenogenesis, which helps them colonize new plants quickly.
Ability
Plant Mimic
Soft scales often have colors and shapes that blend in with plants, which helps them hide from predators.
Measurements & details
- Size
- 1-10 mm
- Lifespan
- 30-365 days
- Leg Count
- 6
- Colony Size
- 1000
Diet & Feeding
They are tiny plant sap-suckers, feeding on the sweet juices inside plants.
Primary Foods
- Plant sap
- Phloem
- Xylem
- Fruit trees
- Shrubs
- Houseplants
Ecological connections
symbiotic with
Black Garden Ant
Lasius niger
Ants protect soft scales for their sweet honeydew.
hunts
Seven-spotted Ladybug
Coccinella septempunctata
Ladybug larvae and adults feed on soft scales.
parasitizes
Brown Soft Scale Parasitoid
Metaphycus helvolus
Tiny wasps lay eggs inside scales, controlling populations.
Traits
Solitary
Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.
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.
Miniature
Pertaining to species that are significantly smaller than typical or average for their kind.
Parasitic
This trait describes organisms that live on or in a host organism, obtaining nutrients at the host's expense.
Urban Friendly
This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces.
Also known as
No aliases listed yet.
Collections
Safety
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Don't touch bugs without asking an adult first, as some can be harmful.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big is Soft scales?
1-10 mm
How long does Soft scales live?
30-365 days
What does Soft scales eat?
They are tiny plant sap-suckers, feeding on the sweet juices inside plants.
Where is Soft scales usually found?
Urban areas
How many legs does Soft scales have?
6
How large are Soft scales colonies?
1000
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