Scale Insects
I found this interesting photo above in the USDA archives and was reading it and it caused me to look... what are they talking about?
www.sel.barc.usda.gov/coccoidea/scale2004.htm"Loss of a great coccidologist
Jan Koteja was an innovative scientist and added numerous interesting and exciting bodies of information to the study of
scale insects. According to ScaleNet he wrote 114 research papers on scale insects (and there likely are several others in press) and described at least 7 new families, 20 new genera, and 42 new species. He frequently had ideas that didn’t “fit in the box” of tradition; but in many instances his hypotheses have gained wide acceptance in coccidology. His findings in systematics, morphology, phylogeny, and fossils will remain important reading for scientist well into the future."
**I wondered what a coccidologist did, and see that they specialize in "scale insects", so I looked at that:
The scale insects are small insects of the order Hemiptera, generally classified as the superfamily Coccoidea. There are about 8,000 species of scale insects.
"Most scale insects are parasites of plants, feeding on sap drawn directly from the plant's vascular system. A few species feed on fungal mats and fungi, e.g., some species in the genus Newsteadia in the family Ortheziidae.
They secrete a waxy coating for defense; this coating causes them to resemble reptilian scales or fish scales, hence the name.Scale insects feed on a wide variety of plants, and many scale species are considered pests. Some types are economically valuable, such as the cochineal, Polish cochineal and lac scales. Scale insects' waxy covering makes them quite resistant to pesticides, which are only effective against the first-instar nymph crawler stage. However, scales are often controlled with horticultural oils, which suffocate them, or through biological control.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scale_insectScale insects are divided into three groups: (1) armored scales, (2) soft scales, and (3) mealybugs. The armored and soft scales are one of the most destructive groups of insects that attack ornamental crops. Mealybugs are not generally considered a problem on most woody ornamentals.
The armored scales secrete a waxy covering over their bodies. This covering is not an integral part of the insect's body. The scale lives and feeds under this covering which resembles a plate of armor, hence the name. They vary in size from 1/16 inch to 1/8 inch in diameter and can be almost any color, depending on the species. Armored scales may be circular, oval, oblong, thread-like, or even pear-shaped. The female's armor is larger than that of the male, while the shape and color may be similar or distinctly different, depending upon the particular species.
Soft scales also secrete a waxy covering, but it is an integral part of their body. Soft scales vary widely in color, size, and shape. They range from 1/8 inch to 1/2 inch in diameter and may be nearly flat to almost spherical in shape.
BiologyThe armored scale life cycle is generalized as follows. The eggs are laid underneath the waxy covering and hatch over a period of one to three weeks. The newly hatched scales (called crawlers) move about over the plant until they locate succulent new growth. They insert their piercing-sucking mouthparts into the plant and begin feeding. Female scales lose their legs and antennae during the first molt. They molt a second time before reaching maturity and do not pupate. The cast skins (exuviae) are incorporated in the scale cover. Male scales go through two additional molts and pupate underneath the wax. Adult males are tiny two-winged, gnat-like insects without mouthparts. In some armored scales the adult stage is reached in six weeks, and there are several generations per year.
In the females of the soft scales the antennae and legs are not lost, but are reduced to such an extent that though the adults can move about somewhat they seldom do. The wax when secreted, usually forms a sac at the rear end of the body enclosing the eggs, and the scale on the back of the insect becomes much thickened, forming a thick fluffy mass. The life cycle is similar to the armored scales except some soft scales require one year to reach maturity.
entnemdept.ufl.edu/fasulo/woodypest/scales.htmarmored scale (Diaspididae)
Scale Insects (Coccidae and Diaspididae)
There are two types of scale insects, unarmored and armored. The females of the unarmored or soft scales (Coccidae) are oval to nearly circular and flat to nearly globular, and are sometimes partially covered with wax. Common examples are the brown soft scale, Coccus hesperidum L. (figure 348), and the hemispherical scale, Saissetia coffeae (Walker). Many species become stationary when fully developed. The males usually pupate under a small, thin, transparent, flat scale, and emerge as tiny winged adults. The females of the armored scales (Diaspididae) are flat, elongate to circular, and have a thick, protective shell or armor above and a very thin layer beneath the body. Common examples are the oleander scale, Aspidiotus nerii Bouch , and the greedy scale, Hemiberlesia rapax (Comstock) (figure 349). Once the motile first-instar nymphs settle down on a plant, the females never move again. The males transform to winged adults as with the unarmored scales. Scale insects suck sap from the plant, resulting in retarded growth and even defoliation. The unarmored scales, but not armored scales, excrete honeydew, which results in the growth of "sooty-mold" fungus and attracts ants.
Pests of House Plants * Earthworms (Chaetopoda)
* Slugs and Snails (Gastropoda)
* Sowbugs and Pillbugs (Isopoda)
* Mites (Acarina)
o Spider Mites
o False Spider Mites
o Cyclamen Mite
* Springtails (Collembola)
* Psocids (Psocoptera)
* Thrips (Thysanoptera)
* Aphids (Aphididae)
* Mealybugs (Pseudococcidae)
* Scale Insects (Coccidae) and Diaspididae)
* Whiteflies (Aleyrodidae)
* Cutworms and Other Caterpillars
* Fungus Gnats (Mycetophilidae)
* Ants (Formicidae)
Fungus Gnats (Mycetophilidae)Fungus gnats are small, slender, delicate, gray or dark-gray mosquito like insects, most species being 3 to 6 mm long, with a few as long as 12 mm or more. They are attracted to light, tend to gather at windows, and are nuisances in the home. The larvae are slender and whitish, with dark heads, and live in damp soil. Large quantities of decaying vegetable matter in damp soil are conducive to heavy infestations. The larvae often feed on the roots and crowns of plants, causing them to be stunted, discolored, and possibly defoliated (see chapter 10). They can be controlled by drenching the soil surface with a dilute chlordane emulsion prepared with the emulsifiable concentrate. Gnats flying about in a greenhouse can be killed with common household aerosols or dichlorvos resin strips."
entomology.ucr.edu/ebeling/ebel11.html#scale%20insects**I then realized that just about EVERY insect that we have said we believe is involved in our Morgellons is considered to be a scale insect. Scale refers to size - small. There have been some parasitic wasps reported, which are also small in size.
ALSO... I have heard from others and reported myself about how my ear was covered with a thick 'biofilm' and it resembled fish scales, we see that certain ones produce this characteristic.