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. An alternative treatment for azalea bark scale is a basal soil drench with imidacloprid. Several other products are also available that contain imidacloprid. Beneficial predators and parasites will usually provide adequate control of light bark scale infestations. This will suffocate adults and many small “crawlers”. The adult females (1/8 inch) with their white egg sacs are most noticeable in May and June. Larvae hatching from the eggs are called "crawlers" because they are the most mobile life stage of the scale insect. If scales are juicy, they are alive. Bayer Advanced Tree and Shrub Insect Control (imidacloprid) provides season-long, systemic control of azalea bark scale. Protect bees and other pollinators by waiting until after the shrubs are done blooming before applying the basal soil drench. Branch dieback. Leafminer. Azaleas can tolerate low populations of this bark scale without significant damage. Winter-hardy azaleas are promoted as suitable for cold hardiness zones 6 or higher. White waxy threads of the females egg sac near twig crotches prior to June or July. Crawlers attach to the bark and feed in crevices and branch forks. What should I do? Adult females are felt-like white or gray encrustations that stick to crape myrtle parts ranging from small twigs to large trunks. Warning : Horticultural chemicals tend to work because they are harmful. ; What is the ratio of Hi-Yield 55% Malathion Insecticide Spray to kill mulberry caterpillars? This is a pest that generally does not kill hosts, rather it causes aesthetic damage. Rhododendron Borer. Research is underway at this time to determine if enough imidacloprid will be present in the following year (one year after a basal drench is made) to be detrimental to bees when the azaleas are blooming. Beneficial insects, such as wasps, control scale population. Neem oil products work by suffocating the insect. A&M has identified this pest as Eriococcus lagerstroemiae, and suspects that it was brought into the U.S. on a crape myrtle plant. Azalea Bark Scale Diagnostic Guide; Azalea Lace Bug Diagnostic Guide; Azalea Whitefly Diagnostic Guide; Bagworms Diagnostic Guide; ... Each one contains signs and symptoms, treatment strategies, and treatment expectations designed to help you properly diagnose diseases and provide effective solutions. Close-up of Azalea bark scale egg masses on infested branches blackened by sooty mold. Honeydew can be an inconvenience as well. Bark scales Azalea bark scales cause yellowing and a soot or mold appearance on stems. Bark Scale along the branch of a Crape Myrtle. Azalea bark scale. Dr. Smitley’s work is funded in part by MSU’s AgBioResearch. An oil spray applied after the crawlers emerge is usually very effective in controlling azalea bark scale, but keep checking each year and spray again when necessary. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464). Apply either at dormant or delayed-dormant for the overwintering stage, or as an in-season cover spray for control of the crawlers. MSU is an affirmative-action, equal-opportunity employer. https://www.giroudtree.com Azalea Bark Scale can destroy beautiful Azalea shrubs. Scales are only vulnerable to insecticides during the immature phase before they have created the white coating. Dilute the concentrate version at 3 fl oz per gallon of water and directly spray onto the bark to control the nymphs before they become adults. One product with good directions on the label for applying imidacloprid as a drench is Bayer Tree and Shrub Insect Control. Check out the Agribusiness Management B.S. If the crusty residue is dry and flaky, the scales are dead. Azalea bark scale, Eriococcus azaleas Comstock, Eriococcidae, HEMIPTERA. Can I use Pivot 10 for azalea bark scale?Cottony maple/taxus scale? It has been reported in the Eastern US, as well as Belgium and Russia. 2). More information on successfully growing azaleas and rhododendrons is available in the fact sheets HGIC 1059, Azalea Care; HGIC 1058, Azalea Planting; and … CMBS might be able to overwinter in the adult female and egg life stages, and crawlers and later stage nymphs have been observed overwintering under the loose bark and in cracks and crevices of crapemyrtles in our area. Spray after the azaleas are done blooming to avoid spraying over bees and other pollinators, and to avoid flower injury. This sap-sucking scale can cause serious harm to your favorite Azalea or Rhododendron. (Possibly two in southern states), Leaf yellowing is often visible after June or July, Sooty mold growing on honeydew can be found under tree or on limbs, White waxy threads of the females egg sac near twig crotches prior to June or July, Small winged adults males are generally on leaves around August through September, Crawlers are reddish, tiny, mobile, and typically found around June or July. Many people who call us describe their trees as covered in white dots, or white cotton like bumps. The sac is about 3 mm long and 1.5 mm thick. A: You have a big infestation of cottony cushion scale. So in Michigan, when we grow azaleas we are usually focused on finding protected sites and providing winter protection by covering the ground over the roots with mulch and draping protective burlap over the entire plant. Scale insects appear as small raised bumps on the twig or leaf. Reference to commercial products or trade names does not imply endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not mentioned. Scale produces a waxy coating that makes them difficult to kill. If they're not moving around, small, fuzzy, white caterpillars might be one of the thousands of species of scale. If your azalea shrub has thinning or dead branches, look for a crusty covering of scale insects on the stems. This product is mixed in a bucket of water and poured around the base of the shrub. Azalea Bark Scale – This azalea plant pest occurs most often in the eastern United States. The insect is hidden from view by the egg sac (ovisac), a covering of felted/matted waxy threads (Fig. Sooty mold growing on honeydew can be found under tree or on limbs. A late-winter or early-spring soil drench of imidacloprid systemic insecticide around your azaleas can control azalea bark scales for an entire growing season. On new growth and in heavy infestations, the scales may be distributed more uniformly on the branch (Figs. This can be a difficult pest to control and it may take m… Many diseases and other problems can be prevented by following the recommended cultural practices for proper planting and care. As with most insects, there are several life stages and the appearance of CMBS changes with the stages. Photo credit: Clemson University, USDA Cooperative Extension Slide Series, Bugwood.org. Scraping the scales off of the rhododendron effectively eliminates them. Treatment is in two parts: spray under all leaves and around all stems thoroughly with horticultural oil. 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. 1) Azalea bark scale, Eriococcus azalea. Scale insects feed on bark or leaves, producing red or yellow spotting on the leaf or bark of twigs. Post by ECUPirate » April 8th, 2015, 9:24 am Does anyone have any recommendations on how to get rid of bark scale on azaleas? Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Use all neem oil products by following the instructions since, as an oil, there is greater risk of … To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To treat, eliminate the insects and prune any dead or dying parts of the plant. Scale sounds and looks a lot like a plant disease, but the term actually refers to infestation by any one of more than 7,000 species of tiny sap-sucking insects.Scale insects typically adhere to the stems, branches, and sometimes the leaves of plants to feed on sap, and they have a shell-like bump appearance, which sometimes causes them to be mistaken for a fungal or bacterial disease. Dead scales may remain on stems for a year or more. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. 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