Pink wax scale

Adult females of C. rubens are covered in a hard, pink/pale red covering of wax. With this covering, they are about 3-4 mm long, globular and smooth in shape, with a depression on the top and two lobes on each side. They have stigmatic setae of two types (bullet-like and hemispherical), and there are two pair of setae between the antennae. Eggs of this species are brick red. These hatch into crawlers, the first nymphal instar, which have three pairs of legs, two eye spots and a pair of antennae. Later nymphal instars are covered in wax like the adult female, though their wax is initially white.

Red wax scales begin their lives as eggs, which are held in a cavity under the mother's body. Eggs hatch into mobile crawlers, which eventually settle down on the host plant, moult into the next instar and begin feeding.