Insect identification > Homoptera > Scale insects > Cottony maple scale

Cottony maple scale

The cottony maple scale (Pulvinaria vitis L.). - This insect attacks maple, linden and other shade trees and plants.

The scale of the adult female is rather flat, about one-fourth of an inch in diameter, and by midsummer generally lifted at one end from the twig it is on by a projecting mass of cotton-like threads which surround 2,000 to 3,000 eggs.

These soon hatch and the young crawl to the leaves and cover themselves with a thin waxy coating. In fall they migrate to the twigs for the winter and become adult the following spring.

When abundant, the large, white, cotton-like masses make this a very noticeable insect.