White Wax Scale. They Suck. Literally…
White Wax Scale in Perth and throughout the country, can have long lasting, damaging effects on your plants. Scale are tiny plant parasites that attach themselves to host plants after finding a suitable place to latch on. The insects actually cover themselves with a wax covering as a mode of protection which makes them difficult to get rid of. There are hundreds of different varieties of scale, however, white wax scale in Perth is the most common.
Hiding In Plain Site.
Generally white wax scale is found on hedging plants because of the dense foliage, orchards & particularly if there are citrus trees around. When well established in a plant or hedge they cover the branches in what can only be described as – tiny, little white snow balls. The female insect can lay over 1000 eggs at a time, underneath her protective coating. These eggs hatch in summer and send out juvenile insects called crawlers. These crawlers spread out to find a new location to latch on.
Bring In Other Enemy’s.
Scale insects produce a sweet honeydew substance which is very attractive to ants. The ants feed on the honeydew and in turn help spread the scale around. Generally when you have a bad scale problem you may also have an ant problem. Sooty mould is also commonly seen in plants affected by scale. The sooty mould is a fungus that develops in the honeydew and coats the plant with a black film, hence, the name sooty mould. The mould actually prevents sunlight in getting to the plant leaf and prevents it from being able to photosynthesis properly.
Treatment Timing is Key.
Scale needs to be treated during late spring/summer between October and February/March. This is when the scale is at its most active because the ‘crawlers’ are on the move. You need to treat the plant before the crawlers have settled and started producing their waxy coating
Getting Serious About Scale Treatments.
Scale can be very hard to get rid of without the right products. Over the counter products can be ineffective in the long term as they are limited to what active ingredients can be supplied to the average gardener. At Envirapest we have the ability to apply commercial grade products that will fix the problem, once and for all. We are experienced in treating white wax scale in Perth and have perfected our application methods and products over many, many years.
