Pellets or scales or white louse

Aspidiotus nerii is a hemipteran insect of the Diaspididae family, known as the white scale louse. It is a phytophagous that feeds on the sap of various host plants, including the banana tree. It presents a hemimetabolous development, that is, it goes through three main phases: egg, nymph and adult. Adult females are circular and flattened in shape, with a whitish or yellowish waxy shell that serves as protection. The males, on the other hand, are winged and much less visible. Eggs are laid under the female's protective shield, where the nymphs emerge and begin to move in search of a suitable place to feed. These nymphs, also called "crawlers", are the most mobile phase of the insect, since when they attach to the plant, they remain in one place for the rest of their development. Its biological cycle can be completed in a few weeks under optimal conditions, favoring a rapid increase in populations and making it difficult to control.