Chionaspis pinifoliae (Diaspididae) pine needle scale insects create small but conspicuous waxy shells on the leaves of infested trees.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
Chionaspis pinifoliae (Diaspididae) - pine needle scale. Adults of these sap-feeding insects live beneath hard, waxy shells built along pine needles, while younger scale, visible here as the smaller specks, feed in the open.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
Inside a carton shed, a Crematogaster acrobat ant gathers honeydew from scale insects.

Kibale forest, Uganda
Inside a carton shed, a Crematogaster acrobat ant gathers honeydew from scale insects.

Kibale forest, Uganda
Pheidole minor workers tend scale insects for honeydew.

Entebbe, Uganda
Inside a carton shed, a Crematogaster acrobat ant gathers honeydew from scale insects.

Kibale forest, Uganda
Inside a carton shed, a Crematogaster acrobat ant gathers honeydew from scale insects.

Kibale forest, Uganda
Pheidole minor workers tend scale insects for honeydew.

Entebbe, Uganda
Camponotus brutus tends waxy scale insects for honeydew.

Entebbe, Uganda
Chionaspis pinifoliae (Diaspididae) pine needle scale insects create small but conspicuous waxy shells on the leaves of infested trees.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
Chionaspis pinifoliae (Diaspididae) pine needle scale insects create small but conspicuous waxy shells on the leaves of infested trees.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
Chionaspis pinifoliae (Diaspididae) pine needle scale insects create small but conspicuous waxy shells on the leaves of infested trees.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
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all images and text © Alex Wild 2001-2013