Scale Insects Scale Insects Full-screen, JPEG images, can be viewed by clicking on the small images.
Scale insects constitute a very large group of unusual plant feeding insects.
This group is commonly divided into soft scales and armored scales. Wingless and legless adult scales spend their lives pressed against their hosts under tiny, protective shells. Soft scale insects have a waxy film secreted over their body wall, while armored scales are well protected beneath a separate cover secreted over their bodies. Female scale insects lay their eggs under their bodies or scale covers. When they first hatch, young scales have legs and are quite active.