How does scale travel?

Mike Corazzi

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I have scale on some horsetail that is growing in the middle of my goldfish tub. It's isolated from the sides and surrounded by water.
I cut off a piece that was broken and it had a couple scale shells.

This... https://hortnews.extension.iastate.edu/scale-insects

says:
"Nymphs and adult females for most species remain at the same location for the rest of their lives. "

So how would they get to an island?
 

Sansui

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I have scale on some horsetail that is growing in the middle of my goldfish tub. It's isolated from the sides and surrounded by water.
I cut off a piece that was broken and it had a couple scale shells.

This... https://hortnews.extension.iastate.edu/scale-insects

says:
"Nymphs and adult females for most species remain at the same location for the rest of their lives. "

So how would they get to an island?
This article says the male scale insects are winged:
 

Mike Corazzi

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They are on horsetail aquatic thingies that are surrounded by WATER.

I don't believe the goldfish are adept at building bridges. Ants however could run a ferry. Ants are smart.
 

Jzack605

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Another issue is many scale species are showing more generations than the historical norm due to rising temps and longer seasons. The scale often found on euonymus was once only one generation has been recorded up to five in a single season.
 

leatherback

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https://www.epicgardening.com/scale-insects/ said:
Most scales do not move once they’re adults, so adult females will lay eggs beneath her protective external coating. Over the space of 1-3 weeks, these scale eggs hatch into a form that’s called a crawler.


These immature scales, called crawlers, will move away from their parent. Sometimes hatched crawlers will be caught and blown to other plants by the wind, and at other times they will simply move to a different portion of the same plant.


Once they’ve found a suitable place, the remainder of the scale’s life will be lived attached in that spot. Most species of scale lose their larval legs as they mature, and they feed on the plant’s sap.
 

Mike Corazzi

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They were probably on the plant when you bought it and you didnt notice!
4 year dormancy?

And I only found 3 shells. On a broken shaft. Other shoots....no scale.
 

Forsoothe!

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The first stage of life is winged. If the location they are born at is crowded, they spread their wings and the wind carries them someplace. If that's a good feeding site and there is no mate, they can metamorphosize and fertilize their own eggs because they are hermaphrodites. Fruit flies, aphids, slugs, scale, mites, -all the bad guys along with about 5% of creaturedom. That's why I laugh at green freaks who won't use chemicals in discretionary amounts and use ~environmentally friendly~ soap or hand removal. Miss one, and you still got a million.
 

Mike Corazzi

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Here's another link that states that the MALES are the winged pests.


This was such a limited infestation (only 3 on one shoot) that it mystifies me. The plant is IN water. Above the soil water. Submerged an inch or more.
I think I'll not worry about it as replacing the horsetails is easy-peasy.
Pot and all go in the tub. Plant sticks out of water.
Presto!

I dunno......🤪
 

Wires_Guy_wires

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I think that they are so light, they could float.

Lemme check for a second..
I have thrown six of them in the pond..
The adults float.
 
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