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Reference · Pests

Asterolecaniidae

Asterolecaniidae, commonly known as pit scales, are a family of scale insects that belong to the order Hemiptera. These insects are distinguished by their ability to induce gall-like depressions or pits in the bark of their host plants, where the sedentary females spend their life cycle protected by a waxy cover.

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Asterodiaspis Asterodiaspis Asterodiaspis minus Asterodiaspis minus Asterolecanium Asterolecanium Asterolecanium fimbriatum Asterolecanium fimbriatum Asterolecanium litseae Asterolecanium litseae Asterolecanium repugnans Asterolecanium repugnans Asterolecanium striatum Asterolecanium striatum Asterolecanium ungulatum Asterolecanium ungulatum Asterolecanium vittatum Asterolecanium vittatum Bamboo scale Bambusaspis bambusae Bamboo scale Bambusaspis miliaris Bamboo scale Bambusaspis Coffee asteroid scale Asterolecanium coffeae Japanese pit scale Asterodiaspis japonica Neoasterodiaspis Neoasterodiaspis Oak pit scale Asterolecanium notatum Oak pit scale Asterodiaspis variolosa Oak pit scale Asterodiaspis quercicola Olive scale Pollinia pollini Orchid scale Asterolecanium epidendri Palm scale Asterolecanium palmae Palm scale Palmaspis phoenicis Palm scale Palmaspis Palm scale Palmaspis degenerata Palm scale Palmaspis inlabefacta Pasania scale Neoasterodiaspis pasaniae Planchonia Planchonia Planchonia arabidis Planchonia arabidis Planchonia stentae Planchonia stentae Pollinia Pollinia Pustule scale Russellaspis pustulans Russellaspis Russellaspis

Asterolecaniidae

The host range for Asterolecaniidae includes various woody plants, including oaks, beeches, and several ornamental shrubs. They are particularly troublesome in nurseries and landscape plantings, where they can severely impact the aesthetic and physiological health of trees by draining sap and creating entry points for secondary pathogens.

The biology of these pests is characterized by a sedentary female stage and a dispersive crawler stage. During the life cycle, the adult female produces a protective test or cover. When eggs hatch, the first-instar nymphs, known as crawlers, move to new sites on the host plant to feed. Once they settle, they lose their mobility and begin secreting their characteristic wax.

The damage caused by pit scales is cumulative and often insidious. As they feed, they inject toxic saliva into the plant tissues, leading to the formation of pits, cracking of the bark, and general decline of the plant vigor. Heavy infestations often result in stunted growth, leaf chlorosis, and, in severe cases, the death of branches or the entire host plant.

Effective management strategies should focus on integrated pest management (IPM). This includes the prompt removal and destruction of heavily infested plant material, the use of systemic insecticides during the crawler emergence phase, and the application of horticultural dormant oils to smother overwintering individuals. Biological control agents, such as parasitoid wasps, can also play a role in suppressing population levels.