Difference between revisions of "Ground pearl"
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[[File:Ground pearls UF.jpg|thumb|Ground pearls; Image credit: UF Entomology and Nematology Dept.]] | [[File:Ground pearls UF.jpg|thumb|Ground pearls; Image credit: UF Entomology and Nematology Dept.]] | ||
== Description == | == Description == | ||
| − | A subterranean scale insect (Margarodes spp.) that infests the roots of | + | A subterranean scale insect (Margarodes spp.) that infests the roots of turf grasses in the warm sandy soils of coastal plains of Australia and the southern USA. Ground pearls excrete a waxy covering that completely surrounds their body, with the exception of their piercing-sucking mouthparts. The voided, waxy, spherical covering is the most likely structure to be encountered. It is pink to yellowish-brown in color about the diameter of a grain of sand. The insects are considered pests, but the clusters of shells have an iridescent covering that has been used for ornaments. |
== Synonyms and Related Terms == | == Synonyms and Related Terms == | ||
Latest revision as of 09:33, 23 August 2022
Description
A subterranean scale insect (Margarodes spp.) that infests the roots of turf grasses in the warm sandy soils of coastal plains of Australia and the southern USA. Ground pearls excrete a waxy covering that completely surrounds their body, with the exception of their piercing-sucking mouthparts. The voided, waxy, spherical covering is the most likely structure to be encountered. It is pink to yellowish-brown in color about the diameter of a grain of sand. The insects are considered pests, but the clusters of shells have an iridescent covering that has been used for ornaments.
Synonyms and Related Terms
earth pearls; pearl scale
Resources and Citations
- North Carolina State Extension: Ground Pearls in turf
- University of Florida: Ground Pearls