Under the microscope…
A $40 digital microscope comes in pretty handy in diagnosing issues, as well as taking some pretty cool pictures. Luckily, scale do not move around much. The adult females do not move at all. Their legs are primarily used to tend to the young, and are not long enough to move her. The males turn into flies, so they are a little harder to find.
Oyster-shell Scale
Scale
As seen with naked eye
Female Adult
Dark in the middle are the young
Female Juvenile
Sorry…not an expert but I think it is.
Protecting the young
The little orange spots
Close up of “legs”
Adult female scale loose their legs ability to move them around as they get older. These legs are mainly used to tend to the next generation before they start their journey.
Legs, but the young are gone
Tending to the next Generation
Leaving behind the old
I believe I caught the female on the lower right after shedding her former life stage
Female teenager
See her path
The females move until they mature enough that their legs no longer move them. that is where they will remain.
Scale Selfie
Close up of eye
The male turn into a fly
Close up of male scale fly
Composting Worms
Coming Soon…..