It is an insect pest that is called crape myrtle bark scale. Insecticide applications must be timed to ensure trees are protected prior to when nymphs insert their mouthparts into the needles and begin to feed. As is the case with most invasive species, there are few natural enemies of the crape myrtle bark scale. It has subsequently spread down into Southeast Texas, likely from nursery stock and other sources of imported crape myrtles. Scrub the pests away – It may sound odd, but scrubbing the tree will remove many of the pests, thus making other treatment more effective. The most likely culprit is a scale insect found in China, Japan, and Korea. This application will smother the scale before the insects have a chance to form their protective coating. UT Extension Agent Chris Cooper and Mike Dennison show how to use a soil drench to treat Crape Myrtle Bark Scale. The late fall to early spring time frame is an easier time to identify whether or not you have a problem, as there are no leaves and blooms to hide the infestations. It worked perfectly and we didn’t experience any problems with the scale. There are more than 25 species of scale insect found in British Gardens. Beech scale was introduced into Nova Scotia from … Crepe myrtle scale arrived here a few years ago as an accidental import from Asia. Again, keep in mind that it is a slow process for the insectici de treatment to reach its potential and to also allow for safer foraging of local bees. It's important to treat the entire plant, as scale can be present on stems, the undersides of leaves, and along the base of the plant. Identifying azalea bark scale early gives an advantage in treatment. Beneficial insects, such as wasps, control scale population. (This was diagnosed from a photo I sent to your service a couple of years ago.) Numerous species of scale insects, typically classified as soft or armored, can attack a broad array of shrubs. scale-free bark running down an otherwise infested tree often indicates where bark has died. Ross P. Replied June 4, 2018, 4:25 PM EDT. Azalea Bark Scale, Eriococcus azaleas, was discovered in 1881 and is a major yearly pest for Azaleas, Rhododendrons, and Huckleberries.Although the pest usually does not kill the host tree, it causes aesthetic damage, weakens the tree, and can cause honeydew and sooty mold to develop. caused by a combination of damage to the bark and vascular tissue by the beech scale insect (Cryptococcus fagisuga), followed by infection with several fungal species (Neonectria faginata, Neonectria ditissima, and Bionectria ochroleuca). Pest description and damage This scale superficially resembles mealybugs in appearance. Lady beetles, including the multicolored Asian lady beetle and the twice-stabbed lady beetle feed on the scale. Mature female scale are about 0.13 inch long and appear like white cottony sacs, often located on twigs and stems of azalea, especially in branch axils. This is the time when treatment is most effective. • By the end of the summer, a natural predator, the twice-stabbed ladybug (so named because of the two orange-red spots on its wings) had become fairly common. Treatment of Crepe Myrtle Bark Scale has to be done in stages and the time of the year will dictate what you should treat with. A few years ago, some developed azalea bark scale infestations. How to Treat Scales on Trees. The use of insecticide requires careful timing and … To have that large of an infestation, the azalea bark scale was probably around for some time. The beech scale and the pathogens are the causal agents of beech bark disease, which has killed large numbers of trees throughout eastern North America. Smith said there was an influx of people seeking treatment options for their crape myrtles in the last few months. Photograph by Mengmeng Gu, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Bugwood.org, #5515604. Scale insects look more like tiny, immobile bumps growing on parts of the tree, rather than actual insects. In more southern areas, sooty mold may be mistaken for that of the crape myrtle aphid. Notably other scale insects were also bad on hollies, euonymus and other scale-prone plants that year. It came to the U.S. from Asia and first appeared in North Central Texas around 2004. Scale treatment options If azalea bark scale is found, Michigan State University Extension recommends spraying infested plants with a 2 percent concentration of a horticultural oil in mid-July. Beech bark disease (BBD) has killed millions of American beech (Fagus grandifolia) throughout New England and has drastically altered northern hardwood forests, of which beech is a primary tree species.BBD is a disease-insect complex that involves both native and non-native scale insects (Cryptococcus fagisuga and Xylococculus betulae) and two species of the fungal pathogen Neonectria … It threatens to turn what has his-torically been a beautiful, low-maintenance landscape tree into an unsightly, high-maintenance landscape tree. Crapemyrtle bark scale, Acanthococcus lagerstroemiae (Kuwana), bleeds pink when damaged. Tarry spots can indicate Nectria infection. It looks like a white speck stuck to the bark of a trunk or branch. • Bark scale was worst in 2007, a very wet June. Treatment. Pine needle scale is an armored scale that can have two generations per year. Eriococcus azaleae. Thank you for your advice. The azalea bark scale is in the same genus (Acanthococcus) as crapemyrtle bark scale and appears virtually identical. This nonnative scale was first detected in the United States in Stages of Beech Bark Disease Invasion Beech bark disease develops in three stages identified as the Advancing Front, the Killing Front and the Aftermath Forest. How to Treat Scale on Shrubs. . I did did not see eggs or adult scale when spreading it. Scraping the scales off of the rhododendron effectively eliminates them. Thousands of scales encrusting the bark will literally turn it white. This insect is relatively new to our area but has become fairly prevalent. The one that I currently have is Ferti-lome. The nymphs haven’t had time to develop them. While it’s merely an annoyance on these surfaces, honeydew is detrimental to the trees and plants it coats. Adult scale insects are usually covered in waxy shell-like cover. This scale lives and thrives on crape myrtle, suggesting a different identity for it. A sign of a soft scale infestation is a coating of the sticky honeydew substance that they secrete on picnic tables, walkways, and parked cars below the infected tree. Look-alike species. Beech bark disease is a disease that causes mortality and defects in beech trees in the eastern United States, Canada and Europe. Scale treatment options If azalea bark scale is found, Michigan State University Extension recommends spraying infested plants with a 2 percent concentration of a horticultural oil in mid-July. This honeydew turns in to a black sooty mold. Eggs are laid in late April and a new batch of this azalea pest hatches in about three weeks. Mature azalea bark scale wear shields. Beech scale and beech bark disease have gradually spread southward and both were reported in 1993 in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, where beech mortality has been documented. A little insect called the “Crape Myrtle Bark Scale”, or CMBS, is turning out in mass numbers and when they feed on the crape myrtle sap they excrete a sticky substance called honeydew. Spray after the azaleas are done blooming to avoid spraying over bees and other pollinators, and to … Spray after the azaleas are done blooming to avoid spraying over bees and other pollinators, and to avoid flower injury. Each species has a different host range and life cycle. Crape myrtle bark scale feeds on the tree, creating a liquid called honeydew. Crape Myrtle Bark Scale Identification and Control Crape myrtle bark scale (CMBS) is a serious new threat to southern crape myrtles. 4 Foliage of infected trees appears yellowish. Check other plants and neighbors for infecting plants. The crape myrtle bark scale, an invasive insect species from Asia, secrete a sugary solution, known as honeydew, that subsequently results in black mold along the … The hemlock bark has small pieces of wood throughout the product. Bark Scale Treatment on Azaleas Post by ECUPirate » April 8th, 2015, 9:24 am Does anyone have any recommendations on how to get rid of bark scale on azaleas? Barchelai Smith at Green Oak Garden Center said their chemicals for treatment of bark scale have been flying off the shelves. In its native range, this scale, tentatively identified as crape myrtle bark scale (CMBS, Eriococcus lagerstroemia), feeds on crape myrtles and pomegranates. In the past 2 years I pruned some of the worst infested branches and applied a 2% horticultural spray once or twice per year, I think in the summer and late fall, but I don't remember exactly when. “There have … Treatment Strategy. Beech bark disease (BBD) is a devastating disease of American beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrl.) What is Scale? Treatment. It's easy to spot. Since then, it spread rapidly. Because we have so many, I had each plant treated last fall/winter. The scale is a sucking insect that feeds on the phloem (sap) of plants. The crapemyrtle bark scale, Acanthococcus (= Eriococcus ) lagerstromiae (Kuwana), was first confirmed in the USA in 2004 in the landscape near Dallas (TX), although it was likely introduced earlier. Most gardeners are first alerted to crape myrtle bark scale by the presence of black sooty mold on the bark. Scale insects can overwinter as nymphs or eggs tucked away in tree bark. Treatment of crapemyrtle bark scale can be achieved with planning, by allowing early treatment of infected plants for crepe myrtle bark scale. Treating Azalea Bark Scale. As it feeds, it excretes a sugary solution known as "honeydew" (similar to aphids, whiteflies, and other sucking insects). 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