Kermesidae

{{Short description|Family of true bugs}}

{{Automatic taxobox

| name = Kermesidae

| image = Nidularia balachowskii Bodenheimer young adult female - ZooKeys-254-023-g001.jpeg

| image_caption = Nidularia balachowskii

| taxon = Kermesidae

| subdivision_ranks = Genera

| subdivision =

• Allokermes Bullington & Kosztarab, 1985
• Eriokermes Miller & Miller, 1993
• Kermes Latreille, 1798
• Nanokermes Bullington & Kosztarab, 1985
• Olliffiella Cockerell, 1896
• Nidularia Targioni-Tozzetti, 1868

}}

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.{{cite journal |last1=Spodek |first1=Malkie |last2=Ben-Dov |first2=Yair |title=Morphology of the first-instar nymph and adult female of Kermes echinatus Balachowsky, with a comparison to K. vermilio Planchon (Hemiptera, Coccoidea, Kermesidae) |journal=ZooKeys |date=29 November 2012 |issue=246 |pages=11–26 |doi=10.3897/zookeys.246.3766 |doi-access=free |pmid=23275748 |pmc=3520143 |bibcode=2012ZooK..246...11S }} The family includes about 100 species in 10 genera found in the Nearctic, Indomalayan and Palaearctic realms.

The first instars are called "crawlers".{{cite journal |url=https://ccmedia.fdacs.gov/content/download/10797/file/ent416.pdf |title=Kermes Scales (Hemiptera: Kermesidae) on Oaks |first1=Jay Cee |last1=Turner |first2=Eileen A. |last2=Buss |first3=Albert E., III |last3=Mayfield |journal=Entomology Circular |number=416 |date=June 2005 |publisher=Fla. Dept. of Agriculture & Cons. Svs. Division of Plant Industry}} They are less than {{conv|0.5|mm}} long, salmon-colored, and wingless with well-developed legs. 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.