Subject: Bug Identification
Location: Cathedral Ranges, east of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
March 21, 2016 2:42 am
Found this on a hike in the Cathedral Ranges east of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Believe it’s a giant scale insect but from what I read they are in Queensland.
Signature: Aussiejill
Giant Scale Insect
Dear Aussiejill,
You are correct that this is a Giant Scale Insect in the genus Monophlebulus. We do not know the exact range of various species, but Project Noah has sightings from Western Australia, so they are not limited to Queensland.
Giant Scale Insect
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Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Hi, I live adjacent to Bunyip State Forest, Victoria. I have found a few of the bug you have described as a Giant Scale Insect. However, mine is a deep orange colour but has the same markings on back and underbelly and approx. 1 cm in length. They were on a very young flowering gum which has a lot of tiny white ball shaped clumps stuck on and around the trunk, side by side. When squeezed a sticky, thick orange goo is formed. I was wondering if these are the eggs of the bug I found or the bug is actually feeding off them. Great to hear a reply. Kind regards.