Life cycle of a typical armored scale, California red scale. Eggs (not shown) hatch within the female's body and emerge as tiny first instars, which initially are mobile crawlers, then settle and secrete a cottony white cap (cover) and later a more solid cover (the nipple stage). Female and male scales develop differently, beginning with the second instar. The female cover and body underneath remain round and immobile. The male forms an elongated cover, and the body underneath develops eyespots, legs, and two wings. A tiny mobile adult male emerges and seeks a female to mate. Credit: Adapted from an illustration by G. Conville in Life Stages of California Red Scale and Its Parasitoids. 1995. UC ANR Publication 21529.
