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Scale insect control
Scale insect is a garden plant pest problem that can be difficult to control. Gardeners with scale insect problems may need to take measures to control them.
The adult scale insect is like a dark brown limpet, which attaches itself to the stem and branches of plants. It will attack a wide range of woody plants - including Japanese maples, bay trees, citrus (oranges and lemons), elaeagnus and numerous other trees , shrubs and even fruit trees and bushes. It can even attack the leaves; hydrangea scale being the most recognised scale insect pest that does this. Hydrangea scale insect attacks have been very bad in recent years.
The adult scale insects can be difficult to control, because the scale covering protects it from predators and is impervious to contact insecticides.
In spring and summer, the adults breed and the females produce a white, almost cotton wool-like substance, which are the eggs or egg mass, containing between 500 and 2,000 eggs, and then dies. The eggs hatch to produce a crawler stage, which settles on a suitable part of the plant, starts to feed and becomes immobile.
The length of the lifecycle depends on temperature, but it normally takes around 10 weeks from egg to adult.
Scale insects are sap suckers and a large infestation can weaken plants - especially small or stressed ones. They excrete honeydew, an almost pure sugar solution, on which black sooty mould will grow, causing the leaves of the plant to turn black.
Scale insect control
If possible, start by carefully scraping off as many of the scale insects and their egg masses as possible. I use a plastic plant label and scrape them into some kitchen towel, which I then destroy.
I then wipe the affected areas with more paper towel to remove further eggs.
Then follow up this physical control method by spraying the affected areas and as much of the trunk and foliage as possible with a systemic insecticide, such as Bayer Provado Ultimate Bug Killer, Scotts Miracle-Gro BugClear Ultra or Westland Horticulture Plant Rescue For Ornamental Plants. These are systemic insecticides that will kill any eggs they touch and the adults as they suck the sap. These systemic insecticides will also protect the plants from further attack for around two to three months.
Biological control is available for plants growing in greenhouses or conservatories, using either nematodes or a parasitic wasp (Metaphycus helvolus). See suppliers for a list of suppliers.
Keep a close eye on the plant once you notice an attack and deal with any further outbreaks you see.
Suppliers
- Bayer Garden, 230 Cambridge Science Park, Milton Road, Cambridge CB4 0WB; gardening.adviser@bayergarden.co.uk (Provado)
- Biowise, Hoyle Depot, Graffham, Petworth, West Sussex GU28 0LR (biological control)
- Defenders, PO Box 131, Ashford, Kent TN25 5EN; info@defenders.co.uk (biological control)
- Green Gardener, Chandlers End, Mill Road, Stokesby, Great Yarmouth NR29 3EY (biological control)
- Just Green, Unit 14, Springfield Road Industrial Estate, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex CM0 8UA; (biological control) sales@just-green.com
- Organic Gardening Catalogue, Riverdene Business Park, Molesey Road, Hersham, Surrey KT12 4RG (biological control)
- Scarletts Plant Care, The Glasshouses, Fletching Common, Newick, Lewes, East Sussex BN8 4JJ (biological control)
- The Natural Gardener, The Steppes, Hope under Dinmore, nr Leominster, Herefordshire HR6 0PP (biological control)
- The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, Salisbury House, Weyside Park, Catteshall Lane, Godalming, Surrey GU7 1XE; consumerenquiriesuk@scotts.com (BugClear Ultra)
- Westland Horticulture, 14 Granville Industrial Estate, Granville Road, Dungannon, County Tyrone BT70 1NJ (Plant Rescue)
If you want to know more, or if you've got a gardening problem you need help with, then send an e-mail to: info@gardenforumhorticulture.co.uk
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