Mussel scale occurs on apples and pears throughout New Zealand. This scale is particularly associated with rosaceous host plants, and pipfruits are among its preferred hosts. It was recorded here as early as 1879 and probably arrived on infected apple and pear trees. With only one generation per year and a number of natural enemies, it has not acquired the pest status of the more aggressive scale species, such as San Jose scale.

In Europe, mussel scale rarely occurs on fruits south of latitude 49^o but it occurs on other host plants (e.g. poplar, willow) in these warmer areas.