Ceroplastes stellifer (Westwood)

Malumphy, Chris, 2014, An annotated checklist of scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) of Saint Lucia, Lesser Antilles, Zootaxa 3846 (1), pp. 69-86 : 72

Ceroplastes stellifer (Westwood) — stellate scale ( Fig. 1 , A)

Occurs widely in tropical and subtropical areas of the Americas (including the Lesser Antilles), Africa, Asia, Australia and the Pacific, restricted to indoor plantings in cooler temperate regions; polyphagous, feeding on plants belonging to 23 families, with a preference for palms and orchids; an occasional pest of ornamental plants. Recorded from Saint Lucia by Walters (1926) and Malumphy (2012, on Orchidaceae ).

Collection data. Gros-Islet Parish: Rodney Bay , on Ixora , 22.viii.2013, and Mangifera indica (Anacardiaceae) , 25.viii.2013 . Intercepted in the UK (Herefordshire, nursery), on Dypsis lutescens (Arecaceae), 15.ix.1993, leg. Hardy.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Examples of scale insect pests in Saint Lucia. A, Ceroplastes stellifer; B, Philephedra broadwayi on soursop; C, Duplachionaspis divergens on grass; D, Fiorinia proboscidaria on lime; E, Pseudaulacaspis cockerelli on oleander; F, Pseudaulacaspis pentagona; G, Crypticerya genistae; H, Insignorthezia insignis; I, Lepidosaphes tokionis on croton; J, Pinnaspis strachani on soursop; K, Praelongorthezia praelonga on sea grape; L, Ferrisia dasylii on croton; M, Ferrisia virgata and other mealybugs on sugar apple; N, Nipaecoccus nipae on palm; O, Planococcus minor on croton. © C. Malumphy, except B, D, F, FERA