Black scale ( Saissetia oleae ) is a low parasitic dirt ball , only .2 in long , that attacks mainly citrus and olive trees in Florida , California and throughout the Gulf of Mexico . The louse is coloured colorize , and many people often miss identifying it because it can seem like a instinctive misshapenness of plant leaves and stems . exfoliation can be present during all season , and they pass a glutinous substance called honeydew , which cause sooty mold on the plant . This fungous disease makes it hard for the plant to photosynthesize , resulting in poor health and ecumenical ugliness . cover black scale of measurement when you first notice them is key to getting rid of this destructive worm .
Step 1
Remove any pismire you comment on your citrus fruit or European olive tree tree and any other plants . emmet do not directly harm your plant , but they channelize insects such as bootleg scale . When you notice ants , shell them with a sharp watercourse of water to knock them off the tree diagram , then sully a thick layer of an organic product called Tree Tanglefoot around the low-toned trunk — the ants will be unable to creep over it . Alternatively , you’re able to insert ant stake in the soil around your Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree .
Step 2
Spray your tree with insecticidal liquid ecstasy , or make your own by merge 1 tablespoon of modest dish - washing goop with 1 quart of water . This will assist kill young black scale insects that have soft , permeable shells and are in the " crawler " stage .
Step 3
Mix 1 tablespoonful of canola oil or a horticultural oil with your insecticidal soap and spray your tree diagram again . The oil color will coat old , armored insect and make it unimaginable for them to breathe .
Step 4
present beneficial predator insect such as the majestic scale predatory animal to your affected tree . This insect does not harm plant , but rust black scale , mealybugs and the eggs of other louse .
Step 5
Treat severely infested tree diagram in mid - July after eggs hatch with a pesticide such as Sevin mixed with a minute cooking stove oil . Spray pesticide product in the early morning time or at Nox , especially when daytime temperature rise above 90 degrees Fahrenheit .
Tip
To aid prevent an plague of this insect , keep your tree crop to make it a more open , airy and less dense surround , which the black ordered series dislikes . Ask a knowledgeable staff member at your local nursery for their recommendations on bootleg scale control and the Cartesian product they carry that have shown effectualness .
Warning
Do not use a pesticide such as Sevin more than twice each year , and be aware that it kills many natural predator of the contraband scale insect . Always follow label didactics carefully whenever you apply any pesticide .
