Coccoidea Collection

Scale Insects (Coccoidea) Napo River bordering Yasuni National Park, Amazon Rainforest
Scale Insects (Coccoidea), Napo River bordering Yasuni National Park, Amazon Rainforest, Ecuador

Scale insect, SEM C019 / 0305
Scale insect. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of a scale insect (superfamily Coccoidea) on a leaf. This pest feeds on the plants sap

Scale insect, SEM C019 / 0306
Scale insect. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of a scale insect (superfamily Coccoidea) on a leaf. This pest feeds on the plants sap

Scale insects C014 / 2575
Scale insects (superfamily Coccoidea) on a plant. This pest feeds on the plants sap. It secretes a powdery wax coating that protects it against pesticides and predators

Cochineal Plantation, Tenerife
A photograph taken during the voyage of H.M.S. Challenger (1872-1876), funded by the British Government for scientific purposes

Cochineal Plantation, Tenerife 1873
A photograph taken during the voyage of H.M.S. Challenger (1872-1876), funded by the British Government for scientific purposes

Dactyloprus coccus, scale insect
The colouring agent cochineal is derived from this insect which lives on the prickly pear cactus and is native to Mexico. Insects measure 3-4mm in length

Scale insect in amber
A scale insect preserved here in Baltic amber. These insects often secrete a protective, waxy covering. Specimen dates from the Upper Eocene

Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis) introduced species, larva, feeding on Scale Insect (Coccoidea sp)
Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis) introduced species, larva, feeding on Scale Insect (Coccoidea sp.), Genova Province, Liguria Italy, august

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Discover the intriguing world of Coccoidea, or Scale Insects, in the lush Napo River region bordering Yasuni National Park in the Amazon Rainforest. These tiny pests, as seen in SEM images C019 / 0305 and C019 / 0306, feed on plant sap and can cause significant damage to trees. Yet, they also play a role in the food chain, serving as a vital source of nutrition for predators like the Harlequin Ladybird larva, as shown in Genova Province, Liguria, Italy. The history dates back to ancient times, with fossilized specimens found in amber. The cochineal insect, a type of scale insect, has been cultivated for centuries for producing natural dyes and food additives, as evidenced by the cochineal plantations in Tenerife since 1873. Despite their small size, these insects have a significant impact on various ecosystems. For instance, Dactylopius coccus, another type of scale insect, can cause extensive damage to crops and trees. Yet, they also provide essential nutrients for other organisms, making them an integral part of the complex web of life in the Amazon Rainforest and beyond.