scale insect mating ?

Ape · #1 (**permalink**) 10-05-2011, 10:01 PM

Hello,
I came across this strange oval bug on Gwithian sand dunes about a month ago. It was about 4 mills long. The smaller winged one kept bothering it. Any ideas what species it is? Could it be a scale insect mating?

Cheers

Bruce Williams · #2 (**permalink**) 11-05-2011, 08:31 AM

Interesting series of shots and first time I've ever seen the underside of a scale insect

.

Bruce

Jason Green · #3 (**permalink**) 11-05-2011, 11:48 AM

Afternoon Ape,

It's a Scale Insect as you say. The winged one looks like some kind of parasitic wasp.

Take care,

Jason

Chris Malumphy · #4 (**permalink**) 11-05-2011, 12:05 PM

The insect appears to be Lecanopsis formicarum Newstead, 1893 (Hemiptera: Coccidae). This is very interesting as this species is very rarely recorded in Britain and is usually found on the roots of grasses. However, the identity can only be confirmed by microscopic examination of a slide-mounted adult female. Scale insects exhibit extreme sexual dimorphism. Adult females are larviform and neotenic. Adult males resemble small flies and are often much smaller than the female. I specialise in the identification of scale insects and would be very grateful if you could collect a sample and submit it to the following address for identification: Chris Malumphy, The Food and Environment Research Agency, Sand Hutton, York YO41 1LZ, UK. Your photographs are outstanding.

Jason Green · #5 (**permalink**) 11-05-2011, 12:08 PM

Welcome to WAB, Chris! Your expertise sounds quite useful on thius forum - there have been plenty of ID requests for Coccids in the past. A quick forum search should pull some up.

So, the insect I thought was a parasitic Hymenopteran is possibly a copulating male?

Chris Malumphy · #6 (**permalink**) 11-05-2011, 12:17 PM

Yes, the adult male scale insect is mating with the female. The winged males search for a female, mate and die. They are short lived (from hours to a couple of days), have no-functional mouthparts and are rarely observed. Regards, Chris

Ape · #7 (**permalink**) 12-05-2011, 05:47 PM

Thanks for the responses. Chris especially. Is there a symbiosis with ants in this species, as the name suggests? I've noticed a couple of ants checking out this one. Are they after honeydew?

I am guilty of not collecting specimens (other than beetles). For cases exactly like this one, I really should. In the name of science, nevermind I am a dilettante

So, If I ever come across this species again, I'll make sure I keep one. Is keeping it in 40% alcohol OK?

Regards Adam

Chris Malumphy · #8 (**permalink**) 13-05-2011, 02:06 PM

Dear Adam, Lecanopsis formicarum was originally described by Robert Newstead in 1893 from specimens collected on Chesil Beach, in a nest of the ant Formica nigra. Lecanopsis formicarum is usually found in association with ants that feed on the honeydew excreted by the insects. There are several species of native soft scale insect (Coccidae) and mealybug (Pseudococcidae) that feed on the roots of grasses or other herbaceous plants in the UK, that are frequently ant-attended. When you have time, could you please send me the collection details of the L. formicarum: Locality, host (if known), date, your name, and any other details such as how many scales (male and female) you observed and the species of ant (if known). Thanks, Chris