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Crystallotesta ornatella Henderson & Hodgson

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Small ornate scale
[Crystallotesta ornatella] L: young female; R: old female

[Crystallotesta ornatella] L: young female; R: old female

The species name ornatella is because this scale looks like a small version of C. ornata. William Maskell mistakenly thought they were the same when he  recorded C. ornata from manuka in the 1800s, but only the little one, C. ornatella, is found on manuka and kanuka.

Biology: one or two generations per year, overwintering as immature males and females. The new generation is produced through Summer. Males and females develop on the stems and the little white, empty male tests stay on the twigs long after adults have emerged.

Found on the stems and underside of leaves of:

Kunzea ericoides kānuka
Leptospermum scoparium mānuka
Leucopogon fasciculatus mingimingi