Woodlands Historic Park Insects

Melaleuca scale (Austrotachardia melaleucae) on Paperbark at Woodlands Historic Park
Melaleuca scale on Paperbark, late Aug. Scales can be up to about 5mm across. This tree was heavily infested and the branches are covered in sooty mould which feeds on sugars excreted by the scale insect.

Classification

from Australian Faunal Directory

Order Hemiptera - bugs, hoppers and scale insects
Suborder Sternorrhyncha - Plant-parasitic bugs, 1562 named species in Australia
Superfamily Coccoidea - Scale Insects, 853 named species in Australia
Family Kerriidae - Lac scales, 7 named species in Australia
Genus Austrotachardia
Species Austrotachardia melaleucae