White powdery clumps on pyracantha

Watch Reply
More
Mark unread Print Skip to new
john5257 Carrollton, TX Aug 05, 2007

Can someone identify this for me? It's primarily on the new growth of a large pyracantha.
Thanks!

Thumbnail by john5257
Post #3820997
Quote
ceejaytown The Woodlands, TX(Zone 9a) Aug 07, 2007

Hard to tell for sure, but it's either a wooly aphid infestation (probably wooly apple aphid) or a mealybug colony. I tend towards the wooly aphid, but would really need a closer look to make sure. You have it bad.
Both are sucking insects and both cover themselves in wax, so treatment is basically the same. I would cut away any extensive infestations like you show, and toss them where they can never get out. (Plastic sealed bag in the garbage can, with a little rubbing alcohol added before sealing.) You can try horticultural oil or insecticidal soap to control them. Keep a close eye out....

Post #3827312
Quote
claypa West Pottsgrove, PA(Zone 6b) Aug 07, 2007

ceejaytown, can wooly aphids jump and fly, like leafhoppers? I've been seeing something like this in the woods in Maryland and Pennsylvania, and I don't remember seeing them before. Not having much luck searching, either.

Post #3828177
Quote
ceejaytown The Woodlands, TX(Zone 9a) Aug 07, 2007

No. You're looking at planthoppers. http://www.walterreeves.com/insects_animals/article.phtml?cat=21&id=814
http://entweb.clemson.edu/cuentres/cesheets/ornament/ce69.htm
The one I see is white as an adult, and jumps and flies when you approach. Some years it seems the infestations are really bad, but this year I don't recall seeing any here. I just keep a close watch in the spring time, and clip off the twigs the nymphs are on and trash them. Kind of keeps the population down. I don't like to spray a whole lot. Heck, I don't like to spray at all. Kinda lazy here. And besides, they don't seem to cause much damage. Just looks real messy when the infestation is bad.

But that does give pause: John, your white stuff doesn't jump and fly, does it?

Post #3829076
Quote
john5257 Carrollton, TX Aug 13, 2007

No flying or jumping....but it does drift down like snow on everything below.
I've pretty much decided it's mealy worms and have begun spraying with
insecticidal soap.

Post #3850907
Quote
caribblue West Bay, Cayman Islands(Zone 11) Aug 13, 2007

It doesn't look quite like the Pink Hibiscus Mealy Bug, but then, the snowing affect is similar...I am infested bad with this again...no signs of hope either...we did a wasp release and saved the first infected hibiscus, only to have it return on 2 more...nothing short of pulling them up seems to be working..

good luck!

john

Thumbnail by caribblue
Post #3850921
Quote

Post a Reply to this Thread

Please or sign up to post.
Back to Forum Homepage

More Garden Pests and Diseases Threads

Go to all Garden Pests and Diseases threads
BACK TO TOP