coccidæ

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. A family of phytophthirian bemipterous insects, of the same group as the aphides; the scales, scale-insects, or mealy-bugs. The tarsi have one joint; the male is small, two-winged, and without rostrum; and the female is large, wingless, and rostrate. They live on plants, and the larvæ resemble scales, whence one of the names of the family. The eggs are deposited beneath the large shield-shaped body of the female. The males undergo complete metamorphosis, an exception in this order, and the apterous larvæ become incased in a cocoon, and transform into quiescent pupæ. The family is an important one, not only from the damage done by these insects to plants, but for their commercial value, some of them producing the coloring matter called cochineal, others secreting the substance known commercially as lac. See lac and manna, and cuts under coccus and cochineal.