I have some boxwood bushes with white dots/bugs all over them (see image). I'm looking for some identification and how to get rid of these. Last year it almost killed one of the bushes, luckily it came back. Any help is appreciated!
Thanks.
Joe
It is difficult to tell from the image, however, you might try emailing your county agricultural extension agent with the photo. It appears to be a very serious "buggy" problem and then, it is a decision to make as to how to deal with it. Some are totally against chemicals and although I don't like them myself, it is sometimes an only last resort effort to deal with the problem. I wish you luck.
Have you been able to identify what this is on your boxwood? I ask because I am having the same problem this year.
looks like a whitefly infestation...."Safer" brand of insect killing soap should work well for you. If you have any privet or gardenia's in the yard check them out too as they are a common host plant for whiteflies. Hopes this helps!
I work at a retail nursery and customers bring leaves like this to us about once per week. It's not whitefly, it's a type of insect called "scale". And unfortunately insecticidal soap will not kill it. You have two options: use a systemic insecticide such as Isotox or Bayer Tree & Shrub Insect Control, or use a horticultural oil on it now and a dormant oil again in winter.
plantfreak78 - I've had both hard and soft scale on several different types of plants and I've also had whitefly. The picture looks NOTHING like scale; but A LOT like whitefly.
I am 100% positive that this is some kind of scale, most likely Euonymus scale like these: http://www.forestryimages.org/browse/detail.cfm?imgnum=1626034
Also, whitefly lay their eggs on the undersides of leaves and what we are looking at in this picture is mainly the upper surfaces of the leaves. Besides, whitefly has little to no interest in Buxus. (Although I suspect that if we had a better picture we'd see that the plant in question isn't boxwood at all but instead, Boxleaf Euonymus)
I stand corrected. You're right; that looks A LOT like the link you posted. That's a new one for me, and I've dealt with a great deal of scale in the past on many of my plants.
Sorry to put my foot down so hard :) I never insist that I'm right unless I know for sure I am for fear that someone who does know the answer will put me in my place :)
I'm glad you did. I would hate for the individual to get incorrect information by an arrogant individual such as myself and seek the wrong remedy!
Don't be so hard on yourself Grantman31...I thought the same thing you did and went to the several websites after reading plantfreak's post thinking really?...I worked at a nursery for several years and the only scale I've run across is the beige colored one that looks like a 'blister' so we all learned something new...and I'm always up for that!! :)~ that's what I love most about Daves...always something new to learn and share...have a great day everyone!
It's amazing how many different types of scale I've come across that look nothing alike. My favorite it called wax scale. At work we jokingly call it jelly mint scale because if you pick it off of the stem it kind of looks like a red-centered jelly mint after you've taken a bite. Ewwww! :)
http://www.fluvannamg.org/vce/2009/ScaleInsects.htm
