Insect · GBIF taxon 2086762
pine needle scale
Chionaspis pinifoliaeAlso known as Pine Scale Insect, Pine Scale
Pine needle scales are tiny armored insects that coat conifer needles in bright white, tear-shaped wax covers, making infested trees look dusted with snow or flecked with white. Females remain immobile under their protective armor while sucking sap from needles, which causes foliage to turn yellow, dry out, and drop prematurely. In late spring, minute reddish-brown crawlers hatch from overwintered eggs, dispersing across branches to establish new feeding sites.
Conifer PestSap-feedingArmored Scale
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—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Pine needle sap
- Spruce needle sap
- Fir needle sap
Predators
- Twice-stabbed lady beetle
- Parasitoid wasps
- Green lacewings
ThreatsPesticide misuse, natural enemy loss, drought stress on host trees
HabitatsConiferous forests, pine plantations, urban parks, and windbreaks
Life span1 year (1–2 generations annually)
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyDiaspididae
- SpeciesChionaspis pinifoliae
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Look for White Flecks: Inspect conifer needles for tiny, white, tear-shaped flecks clustered along the length.
- Check for Crawlers: Look during late spring for tiny, reddish-brown crawlers moving onto fresh green needles.
- Monitor Tree Health: Watch for needle yellowing, early needle drop, or canopy thinning on heavily infested trees.
Predator (c) Patrick Hanly, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Patrick Hanly · cc-by
Image unavailableEcological Counterpart 
Host Plant (c) Forest and Kim Starr, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-byClose Relative
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