Subtitle: Gumtree scale insects, honeydew & and a tiny black ladybird
Many sap-sucking insects produce honeydew, but gumtree scale insects take it to a whole new level. These scale insects produce vast amounts of honeydew. Check out how it attracts lots of other insects, including ants and flies.
Gumtree scales (Eriococcus spp.) are members of the felt scale family Eriococcidae. You can see why they are called ‘felted’ scale by the female gumtree scales – they look like they live in a felted sac. These native insects are common in the Australian bush and they are not pests in natural bushland.
There is a little surprise in this video in the form of a tiny black ladybird (ladybug) beetle – the gumtree scale ladybird (Rhyzobius ventralis) – a specific predator of gumtree scale insects.
In the video I refer to other videos about a couple of related felted scales:
Kunzea felted scale
and
Tea-tree flower gall scale
I hope you enjoy this video. Please let me know what you think in the comments..