The greedy scale is an unusual insect – a newly hatched larva has six legs for crawling to new sites, and once it has found a favourable spot on a leaf or fruit, the legs are shed and a protective, hard shell forms. The insect then settles to feed on the host plant. These large female scales are surrounded by young that have settled nearby.
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Landcare Research – Manaaki Whenua
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