Pest profile

Florida Wax Scale

Ceroplastes floridensis · Hemiptera: Coccidae[2]

Pinkish-white waxy domes on holly, citrus or Indian hawthorn twigs and leaves are likely Florida wax scale.[1]

Florida wax scale, a small rounded pinkish-white waxy scale on a dark green leaf
Florida wax scale, a small rounded pinkish-white waxy scale on a dark green leaf. Photo: Agnes Trekker, public domain (CC0), via iNaturalist

How to identify it

  • Adult females are 2 to 4 mm long with a reddish body under a thick layer of pinkish-white wax.[1]
  • Eggs are pink to dark red and laid under the female; no males are known.[1]

Look-alikes

Look-alikeHow to tell them apart
Other scale insectsSoft scales like this one produce sticky honeydew and sooty mold.[1]

Where it lives

Native to the northern Neotropics, it now occurs worldwide; in Florida it infests citrus, avocado, crape myrtle, holly, Indian hawthorn and many others.[1]

Biology and life cycle

Florida has three generations a year, in April–May, July–August and October–November; two are common elsewhere.[1]

Crawlers hatch after two to three weeks under the female, disperse and settle.[1]

Damage and signs

  • Heavy infestations discolor leaves, cause leaf drop and branch dieback, and can kill plants; honeydew grows sooty mold.[1]

Health risk

It feeds on plants only; UF/IFAS mentions no risk to people.[1]

Control

Prevention

Buy only pest-free plants and site them where light and soil suit them.[1]

Traps and physical control

Prune off and destroy infested plant parts.[1]

Biological control

Three parasitic wasps attack it in parts of the U.S.[1]

Common questions

What are the pink waxy bumps on my holly?
Likely Florida wax scale, covered in pinkish-white wax.[1]
How many generations are there?
Three a year in Florida.[1]

Sources

  1. University of Florida IFAS Extension (Featured Creatures), “Florida Wax Scale, Ceroplastes floridensis (EENY-510).” edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN913 (accessed 2026-10-06)
  2. iNaturalist, “Ceroplastes floridensis taxon page (order and family).” www.inaturalist.org/taxa/330197 (accessed 2026-10-06)

Updated 2026-10-14. Built from sourced records. Spot an error? Tell us.