coccid insect

9.9

Small insects that live on plants and suck plant sap, often with a waxy coating

noun
/ˈkɒkɪd ˈɪnˌsɛkt/

Specialized

: insecto coccido

Orchard pests such as coccid insects can seriously damage fruit trees if not managed properly.

Examples

The infestation of coccid insects led to the decline of several ornamental plants in the greenhouse.
Many coccid insects secrete a waxy coating that protects them from predators and pesticides.
A coccid insect can damage your plants.
Many coccid insects are found on fruit trees.
Orchard pests such as coccid insects can seriously damage fruit trees if not managed properly.
Many coccid insects secrete a waxy coating that protects them from predators and pesticides.
The infestation of coccid insects led to the decline of several ornamental plants in the greenhouse.

Synonyms

Coccidae

vscoccid insect

Specialized

9.9

Small insects that live on plants and feed on their sap

is described as wax covered parasites that also include soft bodied types

Surface Forms

coccid insect singular

coccid insects plural

Morphology

coccid + insect

The element 'coccid' is a technical taxonomic form (from Coccidae) and is not a common lexical item a B1 learner would know or be able to interpret from its parts; only 'insect' is transparent. Because the key meaning relies on specialized biological terminology rather than ordinary compositional combination, a learner who merely knows the common word 'insect' would not be able to derive the full meaning without prior exposure or specialist knowledge.

Etymology

Coccid insect comes from an old word meaning 'berry' because these tiny pests sit on plants like small round bumps. That's why the name now describes the small, wax-covered plant pests we call scale insects.