Hello,
I am new to this forum and new to bonsai, I have 2 ficus nerafolia that I am growing for bonsai and discovered what I think are scale insects on them!
Has anyone delt with this problem and know how to get rid of them?
I hope this is the right place to post, this is my first post, I'm also going to post this in Bonsai.
Thanks for any help!
Maureen
Scale insects on ficus
Here is a page with some good information about the critters and how to get rid of them toward the bottom of the page.
http://www.laters.com/insects/scale.htm
I just got a new chemical(organic, safe for beneficials) called organicide that is the only thing that will kill scale adults, nymphs and eggs. I'm using it on my Sago palms that have cycad scale.
calalily,
I've been reading up on The Asian Cycad Scale and was under the impression that only the Horticultural Oil irradicated the scale. The websites are especially promoting MALATHION IN OIL on a regime of total saturation (top and bottom leaves, roots and surrounding soil) repeated every two weeks for a minimum of 3 months, then hard blast the dead scales off with a water hose, and continue. What's your success with the product you're using, and where did you get it? Also, beware the scale also attacks Bird of Paradise.
Let me know ASAP. Thank. P.S. the scale is airborne, so watch out for your neighbors who may NOT be treating their infestations. You can easily get reinfected. sorry to sound like gloom and doom, but I hear it's serious enough to worry about. Especially if you don't want to lose all of your beautiful Sagos.
NEEM LIGHT hort. oil is the answer! I have been battling these creeps for a month and finally consulted a grower. She stated that there is NOTHING better than the light hort. oil, so I got some and sprayed them Wed. of this week.
The insects are TOTALLY GONE!
I took the garden hose and sprayed the plant - the scale just fell off - it's a MIRACLE!
It took care of scale, aphids, mealy bug and spider mites ( I had scale on my rhodies, too) - I am just thrilled with the results after only ONE APPLICATION! I have found my treatment of choice and will not EVER mess with any other methods!!!!
The problem with the cycad scale is that they also live in the roots and soil around the sago, so it comes back weeks later. Lots of people don't even try to control it, and because it is also airborne, it comes back on the plants you've just spent weeks cleaning up. Cycad scale is a serious problem here.
One greenhouse swears by Organicide plus a systemic like orthene.
My friend Kathy uses the new colloidal plant wash plus a systemic and said its gave her the best results.
The organicide got rid of a lot of the scale, but I noticed this week that it is back. I cut several very large sagos down, I don't like them anyway. I've been threatening to remove the dozen or so that are left. They're old, probably 30-40 years old.