Melanaspis glomerata (Green)
Taxonomic position
Insecta: Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Coccoidea: Diaspididae: Aspidiotini
Common names
Sugarcane scale, black scale, black araucaria scale
Habitat / Crop(s) damaged
Monophagous on sugarcane.

The crawlers of the scales usually colonise young nodes beneath leaf sheaths. In severe infestations, the scales are crowded and adhering together in such a manner that it is difficult to isolate a single individual Female scales are irregularly circular, slightly convex, smoky brown to greyish black. Male scale is similar to female, but much smaller and more oval.
Pest status
A common and serious pest of sugarcane, geographically restricted to only India and Pakistan.
Selected reference
Easwaramoorthy, S. and Kurup, N.K. 1986. The scale insect, Melanaspis glomerata (Green), pp. 233-258. In: Sugarcane entomology in India (David et al., Eds), Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore, India.
Images
Sugarcane scale Melanaspis glomerata Sugarcane scale Melanaspis glomerata Sugarcane scale melanaspis glomerata Melanaspis glomerata melanaspis glomerata