After they leave the cover, they wander for a period ranging from minutes to days, but usually a few hours. Newly settled nymphs insert their piercing, sucking mouthparts into plant tissue and start feeding on plant juices. Female nymphs shed their skin twice as they grow and develop. The cast skins, called exuviae, are incorporated into the armor forming a dot near the center in females and at the narrow end in males. They remain under armor in one place throughout their lives to feed and reproduce.
Males are very different in appearance and behavior from females.
They are tiny, winged creatures with eyes and legs. When mature they emerge from the armor in the late afternoon. They do not feed, living only a few hours to mate. Because of the late emergence and short life of males, it is unlikely to find them in the field. The armor must be pried off to reveal a female insect attached to the plant by thread-like mouthparts.