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Yet another scale insect question🙄

B3B3 Posts: 27,505
in Plants
I've been doing the meths thing in my fig tree but I'm having trouble distinguishing scale insects from natural nobbles.
Am I right in assuming that scale insects don't lay eggs evenly spaced in slightly curved horizontal ( oxymoron?)lines under the old leaf joints?
Is it enough to just apply the meths with a medium stuff brush? I'm concerned about damaging the bark.
In London. Keen but lazy.

Posts

  • bĂ©dĂ©bĂ©dĂ© Posts: 3,095
    Don't worry about meths damaging the bark.  Bark is like skin, dead on the outside.

    I use a tissue soaked in meths, and just rub them off.  You could use a systemic insecticide, there are fruit and veg edible types.  But the season for fig fruits is nearly over.

    How big is your fig tree?
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    About 7-8ft high but I was able to bend the branches towards me a bit to to reach them.
    Can you answer my question about distinguishing them. I can't find any clear pictures of bare fig branches online. @bédé
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @B3 Personally I would stay away from systemic insecticide. Scale insects are like tiny domes, a small infestation can be just rubbed away with your finger. Sorry I don't grow Fig brown turkey but I do know scale insects appear in clusters perhaps try an enlarged image on your phone if that is possible. 
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    @GardenerSuze. I'm not going to use SIs. @Eustace has Sent me some clear pictures so I 've a good idea what I'm looking for. It's easy enough when they get the white fluffy bits but not so easy beforehand 
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @B3 Good Luck now you have your comparison.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    B3 said:
    I've been doing the meths thing
    I can't say it ever worked for me.

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