False Pit Scales: Appearance, Territory, Damage, and Life Cycle

Latin Name: Lecanodiaspididae Prosopidis

Appearance: Lecanodiaspididae is a scale insect family that is also known as false pit scales or lecanodiaspidids. Members of this family come from all over the world, but the Far East has the most. Adult fake pit scales are yellow to reddish-brown in color with a waxy, papery texture and around eight transverse ridges that give them a corrugated appearance. The test has a longitudinal ridge in the center and an anal aperture with rolled-up edges at the back end.

Hosts Plants: This bug has been discovered on ash, mulberry, and honey locust trees. Other hosts have been detected in its range. The family is found on a wide range of host plants, including around 67 distinct plant families. The most common hosts are members of the Fabaceae, Fagaceae, Myrtaceae, Moraceae, and Rutaceae families. Fabaceous hosts support about twice as many species as any other host family.

Territory: Invasive in North America. The common Flasepit scale is most widespread in southeastern Colorado, however, it has been seen in the Denver metro region.

Damage Insect Cause: Depending on the intensity of the infestation, nymphs, and adults drain plant sap through the bark of twigs and branches, causing diminished growth and/or twig dieback. Throughout the winter, dead leaves cling to the twig. False pit scales are typically 1/6 inch in diameter, spherical, and cream-colored. They are usually discovered in pits created on the host’s bark as a result of their eating.

Life History and Habits: False pit scales feature three instars in the female and five in the male. Lecanodiaspis prosopidis (Maskell) reproduces once a year and overwinters in the egg stage within the adult female test. The eggs hatch in early spring and the first instars exit the test through a little hole at the back. Second instars emerge in the early to mid-summer. Adults may be found from mid-to late-summer, and eggs are deposited in the fall. Males are more often found in all species. Other genera species are commonly managed by ants and can be found in carton tents or hollow stems.