Search Results for: bark scale

How to treat your crapemyrtle for bark scale

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YouTube is both a tremendous waste of time and also one of the best things to happen to DIYers in, like,… forever.  I find myself checking it constantly for instructions on how to do everything, from troubleshooting my computer to making repairs on my car.  So why not a video on how to control crapemyrtle bark scale? What is crapemyrtle bark scale (CMBS)? It’s a small sap-feeding insect that lives on the bark of certain plants, especially crapemyrtle. Thanks to its sugary excrement, it turns crapemyrtles with beautiful… Read More →

Crape myrtle bark scale reduces bloom

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As the crape myrtle bark scale spreads throughout Texas, one of the first questions we hear is “will the scale kill my tree?” The answer appears to be “no”, at least not often.  To date we’ve not been able to show any crape myrtle tree death as a result of a bark scale infestation.  But like many sap-feeding scale insects, these little scales can stress and reduce the appearance of the trees, while producing a prodigious amount of sticky “honeydew” that can coat the leaves and anything under the tree… Read More →

Changing retail market affects scale treatment options

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In my Master Gardener classes one of the most confusing aspects of learning insecticides is common vs. trade names.  It’s actually not too different from retail and common names of over-the-counter drugs.  Tylenol® is one well known trade name for the active ingredient with the common name acetaminophen.  There are many other trade names for products that contain the same active ingredient, including Anacin® and Excedrin®, to name just two. In the same way, insecticides have common and trade names.  Acephate is the common name for an insecticide often labeled… Read More →

Scale insect misery loves company

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It’s probably true that misery loves company. For the past several years we gardeners in the Dallas area have sadly watched our beautiful crape myrtle trees succumb to a new insect pest.  The crape myrtle bark scale is a messy little critter that causes trunks to blacken and plants to drip sticky bug poop. True, it’s small consolation to know that the scale that invaded Texas has now spread to at least six other states and appears to be ready to follow crape myrtle in the U.S. wherever it is… Read More →

Update on new scale pest of crape myrtle

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Texans (and many other southerners) love their crape myrtles!  And why not?  It’s one of the few trees that bear colorful flower displays through much of the summer, come in a variety of stunning colors, is easy to grow, and until now has been relatively pest free.  Unfortunately, the pest-free reputation is changing with the advent of a new exotic scale pest. Several years ago I wrote about a new scale pest of crape myrtle.  At that time we speculated that it was a newly introduced species of… Read More →

Crape myrtle scale: New pest for US?

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A relatively new insect pest is troubling crape myrtle in north Texas cities and backyards.  Although an official name has yet to be given, this insect is thought to be an exotic pest that has somehow found its way to north Texas. In the genus Acanthococcus (formerly Eriococcus), the scale is a type of felt or bark scale.  It’s closest cousin is the Azalea bark scale, but that species has never been associated with crape myrtle before.  Current evidence suggests that the scale may be a migrant from Asia,… Read More →

Dr. Mike Merchant Retires After 30+ Years with Extension

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The Department of Entomology and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service celebrated the retirement of a longtime professor and Extension Entomologist during a virtual celebration held on August 7. Merchant, a Professor and Extension Entomologist in Dallas, will be retiring on August 31. He has been with Extension for more than 30 years when he joined as an Urban Entomologist in the District 4 offices located in the Dallas area. His career highlights started in 1993 when Merchant was named Chair of the statewide School IPM Advisory Committee. As… Read More →

Cleaning insect poop off trees

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Never estimate how low this blog can go in the search for article ideas. After listening to some internet chatter today on the subject of cleaning black mold off of trees, I thought someone else might be interested in the dark side of insect poop. Feel free to close your browser now if I was wrong. Before anything else, let’s clear the air about insect poop.  Most insect poop is inconsequential, harmless and rarely noticed by the home gardener. The exception might be those caterpillars that leave poop… Read More →

Upcoming webinars on garden and pest control topics

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Dr. Mengmeng Gu is Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist in Horticulture at Texas A&M University and is producing a series of webinars this spring on topics for both professional and amateur gardeners.  I think some of these will be of interest to many of the subscribers to Insect Updates. According to Gu, the seminars are “designed to be no longer than 30 minutes and give you a quick insight look at some of the progress, issues, and problems that we are facing today in the green industry.”  Earlier this… Read More →

Sucking pests

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Introduction • FAQs • Sap-feeding insects • Mesophyll-feeding insects Introduction Insects that use special sucking mouth parts to feed on sap and plant cells include some of the most diverse and interesting insects in the garden.  They can also be some of the most destructive pests in home landscapes.  Unlike the beetles and ants with their chewing mouth parts, insects that feed on sap have piercing/sucking mouth parts.  Damage from sap feeders can be difficult to spot at first.  After a while, however, plants being attacked by sap-feeders will take on a shiny look and sticky… Read More →