chinese wax scale

Ceroplastes sinensis

Member of soft scales (family Coccidae)
scale insects (superfamily Coccoidea)
plant-parasitic hemipterans (suborder Sternorrhyncha)
insects (class Insecta)
hexapods (subphylum Hexapoda)
arthropods (phylum Arthropoda)
animals (kingdom Animalia)

Caution: There may be other wild species of this genus not yet included in this guide.

---

• found on california bay (Umbellularia californica), coyote brush (Baccharis pilularis), european holly (Ilex aquifolium), barberries (genus Berberis), and peppertrees (genus Schinus)
• mature females are up to ⅓ inch long, rosette shaped with waxy lumps
• males are rare
• nymphs are covered with conical, star-shaped, or rosette-shaped wax plates
• exude copious honeydew

---

Chris’s observations: 2 (none are research grade)

Locations:

• Lake Chabot RP: 2

Months:

• Nov.: 2

For more details, use advanced search.

---

Taxon info: iNaturalist – BugGuide

Bay Area species: iNaturalist