COCCUS (Gr. kokko•, kermes), a genus of insects of the order hemiptera, sub-order homoptera, the typo of a family, coccicice, allied to the aphis (q.v.) family, although in many respects very distinct. The coccidal are sometimes called scale insects, and by the French gallinsectes (Latiuized by some entomologists into gallinsecta), but they are not to be confounded with the insects called gall-flies (cynipidce or gallicolce), which produce galls or nut-galls. The coca& are very numerous, and are attached to particular plants, on the juices of which they feed, often producing much mischief by the flow and loss of sap which their punctures occasion, and giving great trouble to gardeners, who find it i very difficult to free their plants, particularly in hot-houses, from the scale, the mealy bug, the vine-gall, etc. Various washes, consisting of soap, sulphur, tobacco, etc., are employed for this purpose; but moist heat, or as much exposure to steam as the plant can bear, has been found in many cases the most efficacious remedy. The destructive coffee-bug belongs to this family. The male coccida are winged insects, having only two wings, which shut horizontally upon the body; the abdomen Is terminated by two threads. The females are wingless. It is not well known how the males subsist, as they
have no apparent organs for sucking juices or eating any sort of food. The females have a beak, which they insert into plants in order to suck their juices. This interesting family of insects contains not only many troublesome species, but some which are of great value, particularly for the beautiful dyes which they yield. These dyes are obtained from the bodies of the female insects. Among them are cochineal (q.v.) and kermes (q.v.). A species of C. (C. Polonicus), which lives on the roots of the knawel (scleranthus perennis), yields tile SCARLET GRAINS OF POLAND, a considerable article of commerce before cochineal was introduced into Europe; and a species which feeds on the roots of the Unmet (potcrium sanguisorba), was in like manner used by the :Moors for dyeing silk and wool of a rose color. Other species produce lac (q.v.) and wax. See WAX INSECT.