Scale Insect

Found attached to leaves, stems, twigs, and trunks of various host plants, including indoor houseplants, trees, and shrubs.

Herbivorous sap-feeders; they insert their needle-like mouthparts into plant tissues to draw nutrients.

Adult females are immobile and secrete a waxy, protective cover or shell. Crawler-stage nymphs are mobile until they settle to feed and secrete their shield.

Risks: Plant pest that can cause yellowing leaves, leaf drop, reduced plant vigor, and excrete sticky honeydew that fosters black sooty mold. Benefits: Serve as a food source for predatory insects like ladybugs and lacewings.