Infestation of terrapin scale on blueberry. Close-up of individual scales. There is only one generation of the terrapin scale per year.
Development continues on the leaves for six to eight weeks.
In late summer, females migrate back to the stems and undergo a period of rapid growth and sexual development. Since scale insects feed by removing sap from a plant, they can reduce vigor, decrease yield, and even shorten the lifespan of infested bushes. Heavy infestations also produce large quantities of honeydew. The most abundant parasites are tiny chalcid wasps in the genera Aphycus and Coccophagus that attack female scales following the stemward migration. A ladybeetle, Hyperaspis binotata , is the most common predator.