Symptoms

Colonies of insects infest leaves, stems and fruit. You will notice sticky honeydew, sooty moulds and fouling of older foliage. Prolonged infestation causes weakened growth.

Spot them

There are a number of scale insect species, most are 1-6 mm long but vary in shape and colour. Scales or shell-like bumps are seen on stems and under leaves. All species have a shell-like covering over their bodies. The eggs are often laid under the protection of this shell but with the cushion scales the eggs are deposited outside the scale under a mass of white waxy fibres. The adults are slow moving but the newly hatched nymphs crawl actively over the plant surface and spread the infestation.