Cottony Cushion Scale vs Western Cedar Borer
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Cottony Cushion Scale | Western Cedar Borer |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Icerya purchasi | Trachykele blondeli |
| Order | Hemiptera | Coleoptera |
| Family | Monophlebidae | Buprestidae |
| Size | 5-8 mm including egg sac | 15-25 mm |
| Habitat | Orchards | Forests |
| Diet | Wood Feeders | Wood Feeders |
| Regions | Originally Australia, now cosmopolitan | Western North America |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Cottony Cushion Scale
A scale insect with a distinctive white fluted egg sac that devastated California's citrus industry in the 1880s. Its control by vedalia beetles was the first major success of biological pest control.
Did You Know?
The introduction of vedalia ladybirds to control it in 1889 saved the California citrus industry from collapse.
Western Cedar Borer
A large, dark metallic jewel beetle that develops in western red cedar. Larvae create distinctive oval exit holes in timber.
Did You Know?
Their development can take over a decade in dry seasoned wood, making them among the slowest-developing beetles.