Scale insects (likely soft scale)

The insects are attached to the underside of a cultivated plant leaf, a typical location for scale insects. They occur on woody ornamentals, garden plants, and houseplants worldwide.

They are sap-feeders, inserting piercing-sucking mouthparts into plant tissues and extracting phloem. Some species excrete honeydew that supports sooty mold and attracts ants.

Adults and nymphs remain largely immobile on plant surfaces, while tiny first-instar nymphs (“crawlers”) disperse before settling. Several generations may occur annually in warm conditions.

Heavy infestations can cause yellowing, wilting, stunted growth, leaf drop, honeydew buildup, and sooty mold. They generally provide little direct benefit, though they are prey for lady beetles, lacewings, parasitoid wasps, and other natural enemies.