What is this in my landscape azalea?

[amatbrewer]

In a landscape azalea I noticed many of these small white fuzzy things. All of them are right at the junction between two branches. They almost look like spider egg sacks. When I broke one open the stuff inside was a pink/purple color. I have been searching the internet but have yet to find anything that looks like what I am seeing.

Any idea what these might be?

 

[rodeolthr]

Could it be adelgids?

 

[amatbrewer]

Could it be adelgids?

Maybe, some of the pix I see on line look like it could be the same but from what I have read it should not be on azalea: "Adelgids feed only on conifers, including Douglas fir, hemlock, larch, pine and spruce."
I would note that I have a Yew that I harvested from my front yard right next to the affected azalea...

 

[0soyoung]

Might be azalea bark scale (?) I've never seen this problem before, thankfully

 

[amatbrewer]

Might be azalea bark scale

Yikes, that just might be it!
I really didn't want it to be that when I read "one of the most dreaded of azalea diseases" and was skeptical while looking at images until I ran across this one.
The color looks like what I saw in the one I broke open.

Anyone have recommendations to get rid of them?
The article recommends oil or soap. I have some neem oil that I could use, and I also have been using soap (Tbs liquid soap, tsp cayenne pepper, 1 Qt water) on some other plants to deal with aphids.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Azalea bark scale sounds right, you win. ?

Just teasing. Try treating with oils or soaps. If it is just a few spots, alcohol, isopropyl, at 70% or 90% will dissolve that white waxy protective coating and dehydrate the insects. Dab it on with a Q-tip cotton swab.

If it is widespread, look for a pesticide that lists scale, soft body or hard body scale. Bonide should have a couple options. Worst case the heavy artillery would be a product with imidaproclid as active ingredient.

 

[amatbrewer]

Just wanted to post an update. I used a Bayer insect killer, and followed that up the next week with an application of neem oil. Maybe overkill but the "one of the most dreaded of azalea diseases" had me spooked.
A few weeks later it looks like none of them hatched and when I break open the white pods (egg sacks?) what is inside is dedicated and obviously dead. The Azaleas seem to be healthy.
I will continue to monitor them, but so far it looks like crisis avoided.

Thanks for the info!