Bug FAQStrawberry Guava Scale
Tectococcus ovatus · Order: Hemiptera · Family: Eriococcidae
Also called: Brazilian Scale, Eriococcid scale
It is being studied as a highly host-specific biological control agent for strawberry guava in Florida and Hawaii.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The Brazilian Scale belongs to the family Eriococcidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Is it a pest in the house?
It is most widely known as a potential biological control agent for strawberry guava in Florida and Hawaii.
Source: Wikipedia
How to get rid of it
Extensive testing shows the insect is very host-specific.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It forms leaf galls on strawberry guava leaves.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
It feeds by inducing leaf galls on strawberry guava.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 1 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Hawaii.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What plant does the Brazilian Scale affect?
It creates leaf galls on strawberry guava (Psidium cattleyanum).
Source: Wikipedia
Will it damage other plants?
Testing indicates it attacks only strawberry guava, making it highly host-specific.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Eriococcidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tectococcus_ovatus
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.