The plates laying on top of what look like bundles of cotton wool are the mature females, probably dead: the body provides protection for the eggs.
Horse Chestnut scale
Pulvinaria regalis
|
This scale insect is a recent invader of British
trees. It was a first confined to the south, especially
urban London, but is now spreading as far north as
Yorkshire and Lancashire. The plates laying on top of what look like bundles of cotton wool are the mature females, probably dead: the body provides protection for the eggs. |
| Other scales are (often much) smaller and well camouflaged. |
LINKS
The Scale
newsletter with abstracts and news
Australian overview of scales
CREATED 29/7/02
LAST MODIFIED 29/9/05