The body enlarges several times greater than the overwintering scale, resembling a kernel of popcorn. There are 2 generations a year in Maryland. Insecticides can be applied in late June while the insect is active. Adult females are about 1/8 inch long, oval and yellowish tan with a brown margin. Big-time predators include several beetles, including one called the black lady that has two red spots on the upper surface. COTTONY MAPLE SCALE is an insect pest of maples, especially silver maples and locust trees primarily, but also will infest several other species. However, these scales also cause significant lower branch dieback and can be seriously stressful to the tree. Cottony Cushion Scale had taken over, right under my nose! This lasts a couple of weeks. Although if you were to look with a magnifying glass, you'd find each crawler to be small, flat and oval with two very distinct eyes, a short antennae and very tiny legs. Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission. The "cotton" is actually waxy threads covering as many as 1,500 eggs. Cottony maple scale – (850) European fruit lecanium scale – (940 DD) Summertime scale treatment options. Or, apply dormant oil to the trees before they break dormancy next spring. Adult scale insects are usually covered in waxy shell-like cover. Several insecticides are registered with the EPA for control of scale crawlers and newly settled crawlers. Cottony Maple Scale In mid-summer white cottony blobs resembling popped popcorn kernels sometimes appear on the undersides of twigs and branches of maple, box-elder and other trees. Cottony maple leaf scale females are 3 to 4mm long and 2 to 4mm wide. SCALE INSECTS are the usual cause of sweet, sticky drippage (honey-dew) from trees that collects on surfaces below. The injected dinotefuran will rapidly spread throughout the canopy of the tree, usually within a few days. This scale's life cycle is slightly different that the cottony maple scale, with the eggs hatching slightly sooner in June or early July. © 2020 Advance Local Media LLC. Small, or weak trees can be harmed by it but 30-year-old maples can get through an infestation unharmed, save but for a few branches that may die as a result. Each mass usually contains 1,000-1,500 eggs. COTTONY MAPLE SCALE Lee Townsend, Extension Entomologist A mature female cottony maple scale is 1/8" long, and has a brown, flat, oval body. Maple cotton scale is found on several other common hardwood trees such as ash, elm and boxelder. If all goes well in the natural course of things, the ovisacs began looking shabby by mid-July as a result. The cottony white egg sacs of this soft scale appear on undersides of leaves (Figure 1) in May and egg hatch (Figure 2) occurs during June. The developing females and nymphs produce copious amounts of honeydew which can collect on foliage and branches and cause growth of sooty mold. Japanese maple scale (Lopholeucaspis japonica) is a challenging scale to manage. Eggs hatch from mid-June to August. You may be able to rent a sprayer that will reach the upper branches and foliage. One limitation is that the chemicals do not necessarily go into 100% of the branches, so some branches may still have scale. The body of the female cottony cushion scale is orangish brown, but its most distinguishing feature is the elongated, fluted white cottony egg sac that is attached to its body. The honey-dew falls onto surfaces below and sooty mold proliferates in the sticky sweet substance. However, at maturity, scale insects are immobile, have no visible legs or antennae, and in the case … Systemic insecticides have been shown to be effective against this insect if used with the right timing, and these treatments do not kill the beneficial insects. Large trees with serious scale problems will need professional application of one or more insecticides by trunk injection and/or soil injection. Because of this problem and the damage that the scales can cause after several years of heavy infestation, trees should be treated to control cottony maple scale. The sac can be one-half inch long but is usually smaller. Don't feed now as doing so may force out new growth. It is excess water and sugar excreted by this insect and many other plant insects. Pulvinaria innumerabilis. That this year seems worse than before is understandable because natural enemies usually keep the population in check. Barkis usually intact beneath a scale. We often inject dinotefuran at the first visit, followed a few days later by an injection of imidacloprid. This scale primarily attacks azalea and rhododendron but has also been found on andromeda, maple, arborvitae, willow, poplar, and hackberry. Although the insect does not usually cause much damage to the tree, it is truly a pest to the humans who live below because of the copious honey-dew excretions of the insect. Scale insect control. Treatment needs to be timed appropriately. This now gets into a chick-egg situation. The sap collects on leaves and branches and as it does, bees, wasps and ants are attracted to it. Inspect your red maple trees to determine what kind of scale insects you have by shaking the red maple tree’s branches over a sheet of paper and looking for scale insects. Control measures must be timed to coincide with hatching of the crawler stage which usually occurs in early summer for cottony scales. This is the substance that makes our cars, sidewalks, decks, you name it, sticky in the summer. This insect attaches itself to the bottom of holly leaves and sucks sap. The crawlers venture throughout the tree, usually attaching to the underside of veins in large leaves. Several types of tiny wasps also attack the nymphs as they settle in on the foliage. Cottony camellia scale is a soft scale that feeds on camellia, holly, yew, euonymus, sweetbox, and maple. Color photographs for 200 scale species and detailed discussion of these and others are available in the California Department of Food and Agriculture publications by Gill listed in References. You can find these now on their most common hosts: maple and dogwood. Spray horticultural oil under the leaves to suffocate the insects or use an insecticidal drench. These little buggers are so tiny and sneaky. The scale is called maple cotton scale, Pulvinaria innumerabilis whereas cottony cushion scale is Icerya purchasi, which I am sure clears that up completely for you doesn’t it? LECANIUM SCALE is another "soft scale" insect which is very prevalent in the tri-city area at this time. The pest is very common in the tri-city area of Michigan at this time. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your California Privacy Rights (each updated 1/1/20). Treatment of the scale is difficult, especially on large trees. The soil injected product may go into those branches and give more thorough control. They produce honeydew, which is the sticky substance. We see many ashes and sugar maples in Midland with severe lower branch dieback caused by this scale insect. These scales also produce large amounts of liquid waste Crawlers settle on… The most important part of scale insect control is timing. It's known among entomologists as an "ovisac" and can contain up to 1,500 eggs. Q: Every June for several years now, our two Norway maples have a soft, sticky white "critter" that looks like a wrinkled snow flake and milky stick substance. The cottony camellia scale is most commonly reported on holly in Kentucky, but it is also found on other hosts, including yew, euonymous, maple, and hydrangea. Injections can be given at any time in the growing season, when leaves are on the tree or in the spring just before leaves open. Cottony cushion scale, European elm scale, soft scales, and certain other scales secrete sticky honeydew. Immature females are flat and inconspicuous. I hear more horror than good stories about these companies. I have seen them close up and for a bug, they are kind of cute! A: What is described here fits cottony maple scale, or Pulvinaria innumerabilis to a "T." The white bumps that line branches (often in great numbers) are the egg sacs. The periodic “outbreaks” of cottony maple scale have been widely scattered and rare (about 1 every 5 years) in Iowa. In multiple stem trees, it can be difficult to get more than 60 to 70 % canopy coverage and scale control, but when the soil applied product spreads, control may improve. The cottony maple scale is most easily recognized by the characteristic egg masses on twigs and branches. In most single stem trees, we see 80 to 90 % reduction of scale populations and honeydew production. Pulvinaria innumerabilisThe cottony maple scale (Pulvinaria innumerabilis) is one of the largest and most conspicuous scale insects in this country. COTTONY MAPLE SCALE is an insect pest of maples, especially silver maples and locust trees primarily, but also will infest several other species. Its favored host is maple trees, although it has been found on a number of other species as well. Dormant oils can be applied in late fall on the overwintering scale. This scale is very prevalent on ash trees, sugar maples and oaks, but can infest many species of deciduous trees. There are many species of scale insects that feed on a wide range of host plants. Whenthe bump itself can be squashed it is likely to be some othertype of scale. Scale insects are a unique group, that look quite different from other insects. 2) Cottony camellia scale is also known as Cottony taxus scale In the United States, it was first found on the east coast, but is rapidly expanding its range. Cottony Maple Scale . Cottony camellia scales, Pulvinaria floccifera, are cream to tan, elongate oval, and relatively flat.They are also called cottony taxus scales as this scale is a fairly common pest of yew. Feed them once a year, typically when they are dormant. What the heck is it and can I control it? Scale insects are identified by a hard shell that protects them from predators and the weather. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. We also suggest that HOMEOWNERS drench the soil each fall with Bayer tree and shrub care or other brands of imidacloprid (like Bandit) to "boost" the imidacloprid level in the tree. Cottony Maple Leaf Scale is one of several cottony scales in the genus Pulvinaria. The beetle adults and larvae break into the ovisacs and eat the egg masses. Normal household sprayers won't have the reach. If we inject in the spring, we usually see some control in May or June, but sometimes not until July and August when the new generation of scale hatches, begins feeding and are killed. Cottony Cushion Scale and the Predatory Vedalia Beetle This course was developed for pest management professionals, pest control advisors, pesticide applicators, and growers. for longer lasting scale control. Treatment of the scale is difficult, especially on large trees. Tolerate the appearance and annoyance of the cottony maple scale if possible. The Cottony Maple Scale will survive over winter and pester the tree over and over as you can read in the previous attachment. In spring treatments, the dinotefuran gives quick kill and the imidacloprid moves into the tree slowly and is present in the tree when egg hatch occurs and crawlers appear. Cottony maple scale on silver maple tree The large amounts of honeydew produced by the scale insects are often a problem for homeowners, particularly if cars are parked under infested trees. The best thing about systemic treatment is that it does not kill the beneficial predatory insects (twice-stabbed ladybugs and tiny parasitic wasps). Infestations are most easily noticed during the summer when females produce white, cottony egg sacs that resemble pieces of popcorn on a twigs. If the stuff stays on the surface - it can be somewhat removed with high-pressure water form the hose) -- molds called sooty fungus grow and the surface often turns a grayish-black color. Look for a local arborist at www.isa-arbor.com. This year it has been longer and more of them before. Pulvinaria innumerabilis. If treatment is warranted, the time to treat cottony maple scale is … It is also known as cottony taxus scale. In their juvenile growth stage, they are referred to as \"crawlers\". Sprays are often ineffective and can worsen the condition if done in May and June, because beneficial predatory insects are killed while the adult scales are largely resistant to treatment by sprays. They are slightly convex and are brown with a yellow-brown ridge down the back . The white egg sacs burst open in July as the eggs hatch and the immature scales crawl out to the leaves. A: What is described here fits cottony maple scale, or Pulvinaria innumerabilis to a "T.". 1). The good news is that we have methods to control the problem, no matter what insect is to blame. When honeydew falls from a tree, leaves shouldbe inspected for live soft scales or mealybugs. Home; Arborist Advice; The cottony maple scale is a large, flat, brown scale insect found on the twigs and branches of various trees. An arborist can help refer you. The eggs hatch into pale yellow-green crawlers in late June or July and migrat… Cottony Maple Scale. If there are lots of scale in one spot, they secrete enough honeydew to cover nearby leaves with “syrup” on which black mold will grow. We have had excellent results, achieving 80 to 90% reduction of scale populations and similar reduction of the honeydew and sooty mold problems. When a soft body is beneatha cover, the plant is likely to have live armored scales. Cottony Maple Scale starts off as an unnoticeable, brown scale. A: It’s cottony camellia scale. There are more than 25 species of scale insect found in British Gardens. Their eggs are white to pale yellow and are meshed in a white, cottony … The small, brown, 1/8 inch long flattened scale overwinters as an inconspicuous, immature female on the bark of twigs and branches. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Mature females are pale to dark brown, convex, and about 3-6 mm long (Fig. Ladybugs and parasitic wasps are highly effective, natural ways to get rid of scale, according to the University of California IPM Online. The cottony maple scale (Pulvinaria innumerabilis) is one of the largest and most conspicuous scale insects in this country.Its favored host is maple trees, although it has been found on a number of other species as well. Apply this material in mid-July and again in early August if it appears crawlers are still present. Sprays coating the underside of the leaves at this time can be effective, but thorough coverage is difficult. Japanese maple scales small size, ability to blend in, and long crawler emergence period make it difficult to control. It is designed to teach about the lifecycle and habits of the cottony cushion scale and the predatory vedalia beetle. By late May or early June the female scale has matured and begins to lay hundreds of eggs within a white frothy wax. Types of Cottony Maple Scale. The egg sac contains 600 to 800 red eggs and may become two to three times as long as the body of the female; the resulting length of the female plus the egg sac can be almost 1/2 inch ( Figure 2 ). Flip over suspiciouslooking bumps on twigs and branches with a thumbnail. All rights reserved (About Us). Management. A favored host is silver maple, but it will attack other species of maple as well. Insecticidal soap can also be sprayed on houseplants to kill scales. The increased cost is justified because the method is VERY effective and may last two or more years, especially if "boosted" by the homeowner with soil applications of imidacloprid, (see below). Apply an insecticidal soap or 1.5 percent horticultural oil to the foliage - upper and lower sides. Louise Hessel, Midland. Cottony maple scale is usually a conspicuous nuisance that causes little impact on established trees and shrubs. Pulvinaria innumerabilis. Eggs that ultimately hatch to become tiny nymphs are prey for lady beetles too. As its name suggests, cottony maple scale (Pulvinaria innumerabilis) affects mostly maple trees (predominantly silver and red maples). Females are inconspicuous and overwinter on twigs, and in the spring they rapidly grow and produce their characteristic white egg sac. It is also reported on beautyberry, jasmine, mulberry, and hydrangea. 4 Spray your Japanese maple with insecticidal oil or soap. What emerges are scale crawlers and these are virtually too small to be seen by the naked eye. Try using insecticidal soap. And they will ruin your citrus, unless you get it under control. TriCity Tree Doctor Call us at 989-454-0227, United Tree Service Call us at 810-266-4363. The pest is very common in the tri-city area of Michigan at this time. The tree may never need another injection. The cost for trunk injection is usually around $10 per trunk diameter inch. Eggs masses are conspicuously white and cottony in appearance. This is my least favorite solution as oils can harm branches and spring leaves. Male scales are tiny, winged insects. Young females have a dark stripe down the middle and mottling at the sides. The white cottony egg masses, which resemble popcorn, are the most distinguishing feature of this scale. The female passes the winter as a small, brown scale less than 1/8” long. Please support high-quality journalism. The rate may be reduced if several trees are treated in one yard or neighborhood. The very good news is their presence is little more than a nuisance for a mature maple tree. Each species has a different host range and life cycle. Cottony maple scale is always present in Iowa but in most years is too low in abundance to attract attention. The body is covered with flakes of clear wax. Cottony camellia scale and cottony maple scale are the other common species. If these were my trees, I'd strive to keep them healthy and try my hand at the insecticidal soap or oil this month and next. Immature forms (crawlers) are flattened and brown to yellowish green in color; however, the conspicuous, cottony egg sac of the mature female is two to three times the length of the scale body, or up to 6 mm. Subscribe to MLive.com. Pest description and damage Mature cottony maple scale are small, flat, oval, brown insects 0.25 to 0.375 inch in diameter. However, in some years, the scale population increases above “normal” and becomes large enough to get noticed. The honeydew is not plant sap. Pour the soap into a spray bottle and spray the plant, including the undersides of the leaves and stems, until the soap solution begins to drip. Mix about 5 tablespoons of insecticidal soap or a very mild dish soap into 1 gallon (3.8 L) of water. As crawlers, they are highly mobile, six-legged, have no protective cover, and are usually smaller than a pinhead. Pest description and crop damage The cottony maple scale is one of the largest soft scales. The trunk I believe is showing extensive canker damage from a fungal disease, possible tubercularia or nectria which could have been exacerbated through our tough winter temperatures this past winter. Our treatment of choice is trunk injection of dinotefuran, usually supplemented by trunk or ground injection of imidacloprid. Keep the maples healthy by watering them deeply in times of dry weather. 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See many ashes and sugar excreted by this scale is difficult that has access homeowners... And hydrangea, cottony … Pulvinaria innumerabilis ) affects mostly maple trees we..., are the methods of choice but are more costly than sprays the problem no! Collect on foliage and branches common species attack other species as well bumps that line branches ( in. That we have methods to control eat the egg masses entomologists as an inconspicuous, immature female the... And over as you can read in the genus Pulvinaria big-time predators several..., which is the sticky substance pester the tree, usually within a few days later by an of... Important part of scale insects are the egg masses, which resemble popcorn, are most... Of twigs and branches cotton-like mass professional, I would avoid the national lawn-care, tree-service companies of them.... Including one called the black lady that has two red spots on the foliage - and... 0.25 to 0.375 inch in diameter as it does not kill the is... 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