Eriococcidae

Eriococcidae is a family of scale insects in the order Hemiptera. They are commonly known as felt scales or eriococcids. Each species is usually specific to a different plant host, or closely related group of hosts.

Recent research using ribosomal DNA has shown that the family Eriococcidae is not a single monophyletic group but is an aggregation of several different groups. Some species that appear morphologically similar seem to be only distantly related while dissimilar species are sometimes more closely related. The type genus Eriococcus has been shown to be polyphyletic.