Lepidosaphes beckii
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
Lepidosaphes beckii also known as purple scale, mussel scale, citrus mussel scale, orange scale, comma scale and mussel purple scale is a scale insect that is a pest of Citrus trees. The small insects attach themselves to leaves, fruits and small branches and cause injury by sucking the tree's sap.
The specific name beckii is in honour of historian Richard Beck. Lepidosaphes beckii was originally described under the name Coccus beckii by English entomologist Edward Newman from a fruit imported to Great Britain. Newman's original description reads as follows:
It appeared as a narrow scale about a tenth of an inch in length, slightly bent at one extremity, and always adhering so closely to the rind of the apple that it is scarcely possible to remove it entire. The females are larger than the males, and never by any chance leave the spot where they first fasten themselves: the male is winged,...
The adult female citrus mussel scale is up to three millimetres long. These are usually Citrus host plant species such as sweet orange Citrus × sinensis. Predators of Lepidosaphes beckii include chalcid wasps from families Aphelinidae, Encyrtidae... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lima | 🇵🇪 Peru | |
| 2 | San Diego | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Los Angeles | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Purple Scale sighting in Lima on a given day, based on 14 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 42nd most-seen of the 95 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March, May, July and September–January
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Purple Scale in Lima on a given day, against under 5% in February, April, June and August, the lowest months.
Yes
Of the 3 cities where we can rate Purple Scale sightings, Lima has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come San Diego (United States, under 5%) and Los Angeles (United States, under 5%).
Same family: Diaspididae
The closest relatives of the Purple Scale that you can see in Lima (family Diaspididae, Armored Scale Insects) are Rose Scale (about 10%) and Black Thread Scale (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Purple Scale is recorded against all the insects logged in Lima (14 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
