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Photo#90597
Fuzzy or Wooly leaf insect - Icerya purchasi
Copyright © 2006 Laszlo

Fuzzy or Wooly leaf insect - Icerya purchasi
San Jose, Santa Clara County, California, USA
December 19, 2006
Size: 1/4"
My daughter and I found this fuzzy-wuzzy clinging under a nadina bush (Heavenly Bamboo). I thought it was a moth at first, but with no obvious wings... In close up I noticed no wings and some black legs sticking out of the mass. Surprisingly, I saw on the underside photos tiny aphid-like bugs clinging to it. Were they from an egg-sack or just riders? Didn't see any others on the stem.

Images of this individual: tag all
Fuzzy or Wooly leaf insect - Icerya purchasi Fuzzy or Wooly leaf insect - Icerya purchasi
Contributed by Laszlo on 20 December, 2006 - 12:13am
Last updated 20 December, 2006 - 9:36am

Cottony Cushion Scale
This is a Cottony Cushion Scale, Icerya purchasi. The aphid-like creatures are probably young individuals, known as "crawlers". The females attach themselves and grow the white, fluted egg sack.

This species almost wiped out the citrus industry because they're non-native and have no real native predators. It was only with the introduction of a species of ladybug that eats them that they were brought under control- one of the first successful uses of biological control.
… Chuck Entz, 20 December, 2006 - 7:17am

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