Download high resolution image here.

These images follow adult male images in a series (linked below) documenting the development of a scale insect infesting the pinyon (Pinus edulis) tree in the southeast corner of the Federal Credit Union parking lot on the Corner of Sherman Ave. and Chanute St. (Albuquerque East 7.5 minute quadrangle), Kirtland AFB, Bernalillo Co. NM.

The first image (above) is of four females photographed live on 14 FEB 2015 congregating with the males in large numbers on the trunk, which they do from mid Febuary to early March to mate. The middle right female is, in fact, mating.

The next three images were taken a week latter, by which time many of the females have already mated have begun to concentrate on the trunk and produce communal egg masses. The upper surfaces of where major branches meet the trunk, where this image was taken, are particulary popular.

The next two images are of females within a congregation. They were taken within two minutes of each other (according to the camera's time stamp). One is just before and the other just after the abdomen of the female on the right has ruptured, releasing her load of eggs. The female remains alive for a few days after this happens.

I retrieved one female in this final phase of her life for high resolution stacked imaging for the next image. I pulled apart a cocoon-like bundle of secreted fibers obscurring both her and her eggs for this shot. Myriad crawling females performed this service for the prior in situ images. She, and the subjects of the rest of the images, have been immobilized (perhaps killed) by exposure to toluene vapor for their images (a requirement of stacked imaging).

The rest of this linked set are high resolution stacked images for identification purposes.

Phases of development: