Ceroplastes rubens
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Ceroplastes rubens, known generally as the red wax scale or pink wax scale, is a species of soft scale insect in the family Coccidae. It is native to Australia but has been introduced to other countries, including New Caledonia, Japan, China, Poland and the United States.
Adult females of C. rubens are covered in a hard, pink/pale red covering of wax. With this covering, they are about 3-4 mm long, globular and smooth in shape, with a depression on the top and two lobes on each side. They have stigmatic setae of two types (bullet-like and hemispherical), and there are two pair of setae between the antennae.
Eggs of this species are brick red. These hatch into crawlers, the first nymphal instar, which have three pairs of legs, two eye spots and a pair of antennae. Later nymphal instars are covered in wax like the adult female, though their wax is initially white.
Red wax scales begin their lives as eggs, which are held in a cavity under the mother's body. Eggs hatch into mobile crawlers, which eventually settle down on the host plant, moult into the next instar and begin feeding.
Ceroplastes rubens feeds on the sap of plant shoots, leaves... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|
More parks will be added in future updates.
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Pink Wax Scale sighting in Sydney on a given day, based on 31 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 253rd most-seen of the 742 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
July and August
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Pink Wax Scale in Sydney on a given day, against under 5% in September to June, the lowest months.
Yes
Of the 4 cities where we can rate Pink Wax Scale sightings, Sydney has the highest daily chance: under 5%. Next come Brisbane (Australia, under 5%) and Tokyo (Japan, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Pink Wax Scale is recorded against all the insects logged in Sydney (31 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.
