San Jose scale

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San Jose scale (Quadraspidiotus perniciosus)

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San Jose scale

insect

Also known as: Quadraspidiotus perniciosus

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Article History

San Jose scale, (Quadraspidiotus perniciosus), a species of insect in the armoured scale family, Diaspididae (order Homoptera), that was first discovered in North America in San Jose, California, in 1880 but probably is native to China. The yellow-coloured females are covered with a gray circular scale about 1.5 mm (0.06 inch) in diameter, elevated in the centre and surrounded by a yellow ring. This waxy scale cover is secreted by the female and serves as a protective shell. After mating, the female produces living young called crawlers. There may be two to six generations per year.

Sometimes San Jose scales can be serious pests, becoming so numerous that they overlap and completely cover tree branches. At those densities over time they may kill a tree. Historically, a lime-sulfur spray was once used as a control measure, but today, oil sprays are far more effective.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Kara Rogers.