Coccidae (scale insects, mealybugs; order Hemiptera, suborder Homoptera) Family of homopterans which feed on plant sap, and some species of which are pests. Females are wingless. Males have a single pair of wings and do not feed; usually they are very small. The newly hatched nymphs (crawlers) are the main dispersal stage, and are blown about by the wind. Most older nymphs and females are sedentary, except in the mealybugs and their relatives, in which some mobility is retained. There are about 4000 species occurring mainly in the tropics. The Coccidae belong to a group that is usually split into about 12 families (see also LACCIFERIDAE).

mealybug See COCCIDAE.