SCALE INSECT

Pronunciation (US): (GB):

Meaning:

Small homopterous insect that usually lives and feeds on plants and secretes a protective waxy covering

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Hypernyms ("scale insect" is a kind of...):

coccid insect (scale insects and mealybugs)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "scale insect"):

soft scale (an insect active in all stages)

wax insect (any of various insects that secrete a waxy substance)

armored scale (insect having a firm covering of wax especially in the female)

cochineal; cochineal insect; Dactylopius coccus (Mexican red scale insect that feeds on cacti; the source of a red dye)