The Armored Scale Insects of California

Bulletin of the California Insect Survey, Volume 5: The Armored Scale Insects of California by Howard L. McKenzie offers a comprehensive examination of one of the most agriculturally significant insect groups—the armored scales (family Diaspididae). Often overlooked by the general entomologist and much maligned by agriculturalists, these minute but destructive pests pose a serious threat to California’s orchards, nurseries, and fields. Armored scale insects latch onto tree trunks, branches, stems, and leaves, turning themselves into "automatic pumps" that drain the life-sustaining sap from their host plants. Over time, even the hardiest trees succumb to these pests, displaying symptoms such as leaf discoloration, branch death, and even total collapse.

McKenzie’s work builds on earlier studies, such as Carnes' The Coccidae of California (1907), and notes the dramatic increase in the number of known armored scale species in California—from 32 to 132 species within 49 years. This volume not only catalogs the wide-ranging impact of these pests but also delves into the biology and identification of the various species. With insights into their feeding habits, reproductive capabilities, and control methods, this book serves as an essential resource for fruit growers, pest control professionals, and entomologists dedicated to managing the invasive threat posed by these resilient pests.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press's mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1956.