Scale insects

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.