Pine Scale

[Vance Wood]

To see the details you will have to call up the files. Scale in its classic form is a little off white tear drop shaped thing on the needles, that to some looks like paint splatter. These photos were taken a couple of years ago when I had one of my major infestations. I have a neighbor accross the stree that has a Mugo in his yard that got scale so bad it was almost white. It looked like it was covered with frost.

I would be interested to see what other people do for this problem. Hint: You cannot ignore scale. It may not kill the tree right away but if you let it develop for a couple of years it can ruin a tree and take years to recover.

Here are some close ups.

View attachment 20838 View attachment 20839 View attachment 20840

 

[FrankP999]

Vance, Thanks for the information.

The close up attachements do not show for me, I get this message "Invalid Attachment specified. If you followed a valid link, please notify the administrator"

 

[october]

Hello Vance, I have had an on going white juniper scale infestation problem.. It has been going on for years now. I have found great success in controlling it with a homemade solution. I have used it on different kinds of junipers, yew and maybe anoter species. I have not used it on pine though.

The solution is 1 tablespoon of vegetable cooking oil, 1-2 table spoons of dishwashing liquid (I have used palmolive and ivory, I like the palmalolive the best) mixed in with 1 gallon of water. After it is mixed, I pour it in a spray bottle. Then I add one capful of alcohol (the cap from the alcohol bottle) to the spray bottle and shake it well. I spray underneath the foliage and branches and on top. I wash off the solution after 24 hours. I usually, repeat the process in 2-3 weeks. This method is extremely effective. However, for it to be truly effective, you will need to remove all the scale that you see first. I usually use a tooth pic and scape all off that I see and then spray. I usually keep the sprayed tree out of direct sun and extreme cold for a few days also.

What I like about this is that it is non toxic, you can spray in the house, near pets or wherever. Also, I have never seen an adverse reactions to a tree from it.

Rob

 

[Vance Wood]

Hello Vance, I have had an on going white juniper scale infestation problem.. It has been going on for years now. I have found great success in controlling it with a homemade solution. I have used it on different kinds of junipers, yew and maybe anoter species. I have not used it on pine though.

The solution is 1 tablespoon of vegetable cooking oil, 1-2 table spoons of dishwashing liquid (I have used palmolive and ivory, I like the palmalolive the best) mixed in with 1 gallon of water. After it is mixed, I pour it in a spray bottle. Then I add one capful of alcohol (the cap from the alcohol bottle) to the spray bottle and shake it well. I spray underneath the foliage and branches and on top. I wash off the solution after 24 hours. I usually, repeat the process in 2-3 weeks. This method is extremely effective. However, for it to be truly effective, you will need to remove all the scale that you see first. I usually use a tooth pic and scape all off that I see and then spray. I usually keep the sprayed tree out of direct sun and extreme cold for a few days also.

What I like about this is that it is non toxic, you can spray in the house, near pets or wherever. Also, I have never seen an adverse reactions to a tree from it.

Rob

This is pretty much the solution I use. I have found that most commercial applications along with being dangerous are ineffective. This solution is a topical application that does not so much poison the insect but suffocates it. I use Olive Oil. I also use this for spider mites, it works the same way; suffocation. I have found it is not necessary to remove the scale first. The solution will kill it anyway. The alcohol softens the coating, the soap and oil kill it. In a week you can usually remove the scale that is dead easily, then you will know where a second application may be necessary.

 

[JudyB]

I do not know if pine has specific scale that infests it, or if they are all the same critter?

I had a bad infestation on a fukien tea tree, and used the same basic spray after I got tired of swabbing them one at a time with a Qtip and alcohol. The tree did not like being sprayed with the soap spray, it would loose leaves, but I had to get rid of them. I sprayed over a period of a month or so rinsing the leaves off with water spray after 10 minutes or so to try not to stress the tree too much. After a few weeks, and still having scale, I completely defoliated, and sprayed the c**p out of it for a week or so. Scale gone, leaves came back, healthy as a clam.

I never liked the tree and gave it away, but at least it didn't have scale!

 

[Stan Kengai]

. . . The tree did not like being sprayed with the soap spray . . .

The problem might have been the type of soap you were using. Try to avoid soaps with antibacterial agents and moisturizers because these can adversely affect your plants. Some of the strongly scented soaps can cause problems, too. The only ingredients you need in the "soap" are the surfactant and the soap.

Warning: Chemistry lesson (simplified), for those interested. The pests we are trying to kill typically have a waxy or oily coating on their outer shells, like the water-repelling oil in duck's feathers. The surfactant in the soap nullifies the effects of these coatings by breaking the surface tension of the coating, allowing the cleansing agent (soap) to break it down or dissolve it. This is why it is important to directly spray the insects. Without the protective coating, the alcohol/oil/tobacco/insecticide can to do its job killing the critter.

 

[Bill S]

I agree on the soap solution, I used it on a young white pine in my yard that was covered with it, and it worked well. Dawn dishwashing soap, veg oil, and rubbing alchol is how I mix it. Neem oil, volk oil, and a few cigeretts soaked for a while gives you nicotene, these are viable options.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I never liked the tree and gave it away, but at least it didn't have scale!

Unless you live where Fukien (if that's how you choose to spell it) tea lives outside, this is the happiest ending you can expect from one!

 

[JudyB]

Unless you live where Fukien (if that's how you choose to spell it) tea lives outside, this is the happiest ending you can expect from one!

Which is why I finally rid myself of the thing.
The best thing it ever did for me was when it was outside all summer, I used it as my pest trap plant!
It always knew when I was thinking of getting rid of it, cause it'd put all kinds of flower buds out...