Hello Everyone:

I am battleing a small, white furry insect-type bug on my Pittsoporum evergreen shrubs...my lawn service has treated them twice with horticultural oil, and some type of systemic insecticide. They are now telling me that I obviously have some type of "alien-scale." ( I am not kidding!!) The stuff looks like the top of a Q-Tip...mostly on the underside of the leaves, attached to the stems. The shrubs have been in place about 6 years, and are beautiful...I hate to lose them. Short of spending the rest of my life...using a q-tip/alcohol on each itsy-bitsey bug...any suggestions? I have tried hosing them down with strong water stream from hose...I have removed all of the old mulch from underneath..I am willing to try anything.

Thanks............MargeeTx

 

Well, Virginia there really is an alien scale.

http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2000/000501.htm

http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archiv...0/wasp0500.pdf

Some reference work:

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/r107301611.html

Hope this helps.

 

Hi Chris:

Gosh, I guess the guys from "Lawn Doctor" knew what they were talking about!! I will print the article's for them. Now I just need a couple gazillion ladybugs, wasps, and beetles to eat the scale/mealy-bugs!! I am testing spraying with an all-purpose fungicide and then I powdered them good with some "bug dust." I notice that some of the ingredients are listed in the research articles.

Thanks do much for the information. Hubby and I will be mindful of any thing attempting to contact us through the television or strange anal sensations....don't alien's use "anal probes" usually!!! ( I am always reminded of the SouthPark episode about aliens)

Thanks again................