This two-volume book presents an up-to-date account of armored scale insects (Homoptera: Diaspididas), a family of highly specialized insects, many of which are important agricultural pests. Being sedentary, colonial and rather cryptic, many species have invaded new countries with important host plants. This has made them prime targets for biological control by natural enemies. No other book has attempted to present such a rounded picture of this important group. It covers all aspects: morphology, systematics, phylogeny, biology, ecology, natural enemies (pathogens, predators, parasites), pest status, control measures (quarantine, eradication, monitoring, chemical control, biological control, mechanical control, integrated control), as well as pest problems and control on specific crops, from a worldwide perspective. The armored scale insects: their morphology, systematics and phylogeny; reproductive biology and genetics; development biology and physiology; ecology; and techiques for their study is handled in Volume A.