Kermesidae

The Kermesidae, or gall-like scales, are a family of scale insects belonging to the superfamily Coccoidea. The type genus, Kermes, includes the kermes scale insects, from which a red dye, also called kermes (a.k.a. crimson), is obtained.^[1] The family includes about 100 species in 10 genera found in the Nearctic, Indomalayan and Palaearctic realms.^[1]

Kermesidae
Nidularia balachowskii
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hemiptera
Suborder:	Sternorrhyncha
Superfamily:	Coccoidea
Family:	Kermesidae
Genera
Allokermes Bullington & Kosztarab, 1985 Eriokermes Miller & Miller, 1993 Kermes Latreille, 1798 Nanokermes Bullington & Kosztarab, 1985 Olliffiella Cockerell, 1896 Nidularia Targioni-Tozzetti, 1868

The first instars are called "crawlers".^[2] They are less than 0.5 millimetres (0.020 in) long, salmon-colored, and wingless with well-developed legs.^[2] As adults, they demonstrate significant sexual dimorphism. Males are gnat-like with fragile wings, while females are bulbous with reduced legs and antennas, and are easily mistaken for buds or galls.^[2]