Ortheziidae is a family of scale insect

Scale insect

The scale insects are small insects of the order Hemiptera, generally classified as the superfamily Coccoidea. There are about 8,000 species of scale insects.-Ecology:...

s commonly known as the ensign scales or ortheziids. They occur in most parts of the world but the majority of the species are found in the Neotropics and Nearctic regions while there are not many species in Australasia and the Far East. There are twenty valid genera and 198 species.

Hosts

Ensign scales are found on a wide range of host

Host (biology)

In biology, a host is an organism that harbors a parasite, or a mutual or commensal symbiont, typically providing nourishment and shelter. In botany, a host plant is one that supplies food resources and substrate for certain insects or other fauna...

 plants including mosses, grasses, small herbaceous plants, woody shrubs and even fungi.

Description

Adult ensign scales have six dark coloured legs, a pair of dark antennae

Antenna (biology)

Antennae in biology have historically been paired appendages used for sensing in arthropods. More recently, the term has also been applied to cilium structures present in most cell types of eukaryotes....

 and stalked eyes. The apex of the antennae have thick terminal bristly seta

Seta

Seta is a biological term derived from the Latin word for "bristle". It refers to a number of different bristle- or hair-like structures on living organisms.-Animal setae:In zoology, most "setae" occur in invertebrates....

e. There are several abdominal spiracle

Spiracle

Spiracles are openings on the surface of some animals that usually lead to respiratory systems.-Vertebrates:The spiracle is a small hole behind each eye that opens to the mouth in some fishes. In the primitive jawless fish the first gill opening immediately behind the mouth is essentially similar...

s and an anal ring on the dermal surface, with pores and setae. The upper surface of the body is covered in a thick waxy secretion giving it a decorated, fluted appearance.

Life cycle

Ensign scales have four instar

Instar

An instar is a developmental stage of arthropods, such as insects, between each molt , until sexual maturity is reached. Arthropods must shed the exoskeleton in order to grow or assume a new form. Differences between instars can often be seen in altered body proportions, colors, patterns, or...

s in the female and usually five instars in the male. It is unclear whether the prepupa is mobile like most other members of the margarodoid group of scale insects. The eggs are usually laid in an ovisac attached to the perimeter of the ventral abdomen by a band.

Genera

• Acropygorthezia
• Arctorthezia
• Graminorthezia
• Insignorthezia
• Jermycoccus
• Matileortheziola
• Mixorthezia
• Neomixorthezia
• Neonipponorthezia
• Newsteadia
  Newsteadia
  Newsteadia is a genus of ensign scale insects in the superfamily Coccoidea. Most species are inconspicuous, measureing under two millimeters long and found in leaf litter.-Species:...
  
  
• Nipponorthezia
• Nipponorthezinella
• Orthezia
• Orthezinella
• Ortheziola
• Ortheziolacoccus
• Ortheziolamameti
• Palaeonewsteadia
• Praelongorthezia