How To Choose the Right Pest Control Company: Giant Scale Insect from Australia

Subject: Orange and black bug
Date: 03/31/2021
Time: 03:29 AM EDT
Geographic location of the bug: Queensland Australia
Your letter to the bugman: Hello do you know what’s this is?
How you want your letter signed: Holly

Giant Scale Insect

Dear Holly,
This is the first real insect identification request that Daniel the Bugman has answered since last July when a personal matter added to the cumulative impact of the pandemic and caused Daniel to disconnect from the curious public. We truly hope this is a sign that Daniel will return to daily What’s That Bug? postings.
This is a Giant Scale Insect in the genus Monophlebulus, and you may verify its identity on Project Noah. According to the Atlas of Living Australia: “A slow moving wingless Hemiptera that feeds on plant sap. This Genus is found in Australia and South East Asia and is know to feed on Eucalyptus and Callistemon among other species. Some are colourful, beneath their white, waxy fluffy coating – including bright orange and blue. Some are as large as 25mm and even as adults they look rather like insect larvae. The females are wingless. Like some other mealybugs members of this Genus are occassionally tended by ants.”