Resource Database

Origin

Pseudaulacaspis cockerelli is believed to have been introduced into the U.S. from southern Asia.

Life Cycle

Females lay small, oval, yellow colored eggs underneath the armor. After hatching, the insects are known as crawlers. Crawlers exit the armor, and then wonder for a period of time ranging for minutes to hours or even days. After this period, the crawlers flatten against the leaf or stem of their host and begin to secrete their armor. Now, in the nymph stage, the insects begin feeding on the plant’s juices. As the nymphs grow, they shed their skin. Males shed their skin four times and females do it twice. As they mature to adulthood, females become bright yellow, oval-shaped, and are hidden underneath the pear-shaped, white armor. Males are protected by their armor until they grow into tiny, winged adults.

Distribution

Pseudaulacaspis cockerelli was originally identified in 1897 in California, infestations were found in Florida and Georgia later on.