mysterious red eggs and scales on serissa foetida

mutsumi

Seed
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Location
Brossard, Quebec
USDA Zone
6a
Hello,

I am wondering if anyone here would be able to tell what are these red eggs on my serissa foetida?

I have been gifted this little tree last September and it was doing pretty well in my bathroom window (south-facing), it was flowering for a while and there has been lots of new growth. At one point some of the leaves started turning brown at the tips and falling off. I have since moved the tree under the artificial grow lights and it is still doing ok but leaves are still turning brown at the tips and then falling off.

Just a couple of days ago I have looked very closely with my little jewelry microscope and discovered a bunch of tiny red eggs on the underside of some of the leaves and all over the bark. You will see this in the pics below (taken with Opti-TekSkope). I have also managed to see one tiny black bug with red antennas just a little bit bigger than the red eggs, but I didn't manage to take a photo. On top of that, I discovered scales, the bigger ones I have been able to physically remove but the smaller ones are so small that I am now looking into what would be the best way to get rid of them.

In the meantime, I am trying to find out what species the red eggs belong to. If anyone has any ideas, I'd be happy to hear them!
 

Attachments

  • WIN_20210213_14_32_36_Pro.jpg
    WIN_20210213_14_32_36_Pro.jpg
    94.9 KB · Views: 31
  • WIN_20210213_14_36_24_Pro.jpg
    WIN_20210213_14_36_24_Pro.jpg
    91.7 KB · Views: 37
  • WIN_20210213_14_41_22_Pro.jpg
    WIN_20210213_14_41_22_Pro.jpg
    116.6 KB · Views: 42
  • WIN_20210213_14_42_16_Pro.jpg
    WIN_20210213_14_42_16_Pro.jpg
    147.4 KB · Views: 40
  • WIN_20210213_14_43_43_Pro.jpg
    WIN_20210213_14_43_43_Pro.jpg
    115.9 KB · Views: 36
  • WIN_20210213_14_47_01_Pro.jpg
    WIN_20210213_14_47_01_Pro.jpg
    73.4 KB · Views: 28
  • IMG_2894.JPG
    IMG_2894.JPG
    174 KB · Views: 21
  • IMG_2896.JPG
    IMG_2896.JPG
    194.1 KB · Views: 30

HorseloverFat

Squarepants with Conkers
Messages
11,356
Reaction score
16,220
Location
Northeast Wisconsin
USDA Zone
5a
Aarrrrrgggah!
I had this EXACT same noise-response!!! Seriously... I couldn’t spell it better if I wanted to.

To OP: That’s terrifying!

...I’m really sorry.

Looks like your “bugs” are trying to run the roost...

Act now (whatever that action may be).
 

mutsumi

Seed
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Location
Brossard, Quebec
USDA Zone
6a
I decided to give the serissa a bath with marius-fabre savon noir and I got to see a few more interesting things. The red eggs were present even on some of the scales... In case someone wants to see this unsightly sight I took few pics. Enjoy!
 

Attachments

  • WIN_20210213_22_22_11_Pro.jpg
    WIN_20210213_22_22_11_Pro.jpg
    103.2 KB · Views: 22
  • WIN_20210213_22_26_13_Pro.jpg
    WIN_20210213_22_26_13_Pro.jpg
    79.3 KB · Views: 21
  • WIN_20210213_22_30_09_Pro.jpg
    WIN_20210213_22_30_09_Pro.jpg
    102.6 KB · Views: 22

Forsoothe!

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
6,878
Reaction score
9,248
Location
Michigan
USDA Zone
6b
You may be the luckiest man in the world. You need to drive the wooden stake thru the heart of the beast with a systemic like Bayer 3-in-1 Rose to insure that you get any critters that escaped into someplace like a crack the bark, and keep on using it regularly. The second stage of home-hunting right after hatching for many scale (maybe all) on a crowded host is to grow tiny wings and let the wind currents take them to a new host. Think about that.
 

mutsumi

Seed
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Location
Brossard, Quebec
USDA Zone
6a
You may be the luckiest man in the world. You need to drive the wooden stake thru the heart of the beast with a systemic like Bayer 3-in-1 Rose to insure that you get any critters that escaped into someplace like a crack the bark, and keep on using it regularly. The second stage of home-hunting right after hatching for many scale (maybe all) on a crowded host is to grow tiny wings and let the wind currents take them to a new host. Think about that.
Thanks for the advice! I've never seen anything like this, will definitely have to treat and closely monitor and see what happens.
 

HorseloverFat

Squarepants with Conkers
Messages
11,356
Reaction score
16,220
Location
Northeast Wisconsin
USDA Zone
5a
! I've never seen anything like this
Nor have I... happy skirmish, friend. I wish you luck.

I second throwing Rose Systemic at it... “nuke it”. (Stake the heart of the beast 🤣)

I’d “nuke” any plant near, to be safe...

They’re on your tables, tools, lights, clothes, too.. just remember that... treat accordingly.
 
Top Bottom