Scale Insects Information for Bromeliad Plants

Scale insects are the superfamily Coccoidea of the insect order Homoptera. About 5,000 species of them have been described. The scale insects are minute to small, highly specialized, and generally spend their entire life near the spot where they hatched. All of their forms that possess legs have one-segmented or two–segmented tarsi, bearing a single claw. Females are always wingless, but males may be winged (with one pair of wings) or wingless. Adult males have no functional mouthparts. First instars (crawlers) have functional legs and are very mobile, but later instars may be legless and sedentary. Immature stages and adult females feed on plant juices by inserting their long stylet mouthparts into a host plant and sucking out the juices.

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Mealybugs Insects Information for Bromeliad Plants

Mealybugs derive their name from the fine powdery or “mealy” wax that is secreted by specialized pores on their bodies. Some species will have wax filaments arising from the lateral margins and/or the posterior end of their body (Dysmicoccus, Planococcus, Pseudococcus). However, there are some species which lack these wax filaments (Rhizoecus sp.). Many species of mealybugs are considered significant plant pests that can cause wilting, chlorosis and occasionally death of the host plant.

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