Can someone please tell me what infests my pyracantha every year, and how best to control it. I think it is a type of aphid, but I'm not sure. I've used orange oil and a dormant spray composed of canola oil in the past. Slows it down, but doesn't seem to eradicate the creatures-they always return. Want to use organic methods if possible. Any help would be appreciated.
Those look like mealy bugs which, as you've already noticed, are difficult to control because they are coated with a waxy substance. Whatever you use, be sure to add a surfactant, such as a few drops of soap and be sure to really coat the plant well because you want to make sure the oils actually get past the waxy coating. The eggs hatch every ten days so you will have to spray every week to 10 days to get the emerging larvae before they can lay more eggs.
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/notes/O&T/flowers/note19/note19.html
That sure looks like Wooley Aphid. I had them all over my Apples this year. I sprayed a 50/50 of water and rubbing alcohol on them. I assume it worked since they werent on there later that month. Pyracantha is in the Apple family so that is another clue.
The alcohol and water mixture, with a squirt of liquid dish soap, will work on mealybugs too, so that's what I'd try. I had a horrible infestation of mealybugs a couple of years ago, and that concoction was the only thing that worked on them. So, whether wooly aphids or mealybugs, that'd be my first thing to try on them. One note, don't spray in the full sun heat of the day or it may scorch your plants.
Crow
Thanks to all! Will try alcohol and water early in the morning.
