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Peony scale

Pseudaonidia paeoniae[3]

Peony scale is a tiny armored scale that burrows partly under the bark of azaleas and camellias; it is hard to see alive, but heavy infestations make plants unthrifty and cause dieback.[1][2]

Group
Insect
Order
Hemiptera
Family
Diaspididae
Sources
3 cited
Updated
2026-10-19

No licensed photo of this species is available yet; the identification notes below describe what to look for.

On this page
  1. Identification
  2. Where it lives
  3. Biology
  4. Damage and signs
  5. Health risk
  6. Control
  7. Related profiles
  8. Common questions
  9. Sources

How to identify it

  • The live scale is a small, purplish insect about 3/32 inch across under a convex, grayish-brown cover that blends with the bark and is often partly buried under it.[1][2]
  • The easiest sign is the white, circular lower part of the cover, about 1/8 inch across, which stays stuck to the stem long after the scale itself is gone.[1]
  • Crawlers are tiny, flat and purple.[1]

Where it lives

Probably native to the Orient, it occurs in the southern United States, where it has been reported from North Carolina, Georgia and Alabama, and north to Maryland.[2][1]

Biology and life cycle

Females lay their eggs under the armor, and crawlers usually emerge from under their dead mother's cover in May; one generation a year has been reported.[1][2]

Hosts include azalea and camellia, its main hosts in North Carolina, plus holly, peony, rhododendron and other plants in 15 genera.[1][2]

Damage and signs

  • Peony scale can be quite damaging: infested plants become unthrifty and may die back, and it is considered an important pest of azaleas and camellias in Georgia.[1][2]

Health risk

It feeds only on plants; NC State and Diaspididae of the World mention no risk to people.[1][2]

Control

Pesticides

Because it is an armored scale, one of the best treatments is a spray of 2 percent horticultural oil (about 5 tablespoons per gallon of water).[1]

Common questions

What are the small white circles on my azalea stems?
They may be the leftover undersides of peony scale covers, which stay on the stem after the scale dies or falls off.[1]
Can peony scale kill azaleas or camellias?
It can badly weaken them; heavily infested plants become unthrifty and die back.[1]

Sources

  1. NC State Extension, “Peony Scale Insect.” content.ces.ncsu.edu/peony-scale-insect (accessed 2026-10-19)
  2. Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Diaspididae of the World, with USDA scale insect data), “Diaspididae of the World 2.0: Pseudaonidia paeoniae.” diaspididae.linnaeus.naturalis.nl/linnaeus_ng/app/views/species/taxon.php?id=113124 (accessed 2026-10-19)
  3. iNaturalist, “Pseudaonidia paeoniae taxon page (order and family).” www.inaturalist.org/taxa/319906 (accessed 2026-10-06)

Updated 2026-10-19. Built from sourced records. Spot an error? Tell us.