Fauna
Insect · GBIF taxon 2086762

Pine Needle Scale

Chionaspis pinifoliae

Also 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
Pine Needle Scale reference1 / 4
Licensed reference(c) Z, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
—observations
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Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
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)
Classification
  1. FamilyDiaspididae
  2. SpeciesChionaspis pinifoliae
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. 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.
Related species
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