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What is this bug? And how do I stop it?

thisisedcoxthisisedcox Posts: 2
in Problem solving
These tiny white dots are all over my hedge. Everywhere.

I googled it and the closest thing I can find is Whitefly, but they don't look like flies or have wings. Can anyone help and let me know what to do to stop them, because my hedge is looking really sad and the leaves are starting to fall off.

Cheers, Ed
 

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Hello and welcome to the forum @thisisedcox 😊 

    Those look to me like one of the types of scale insects 

    https://www.rhs.org.uk/biodiversity/euonymus-scale

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Mrs_MigginsMrs_Miggins Posts: 60
    Sorry i cant see them properly so cant comment apart from to say wow. Thats a lot of insects. 

    Ive a standard honeysuckle shrub that has been destroyed every year by blackfly (aphids) & this year I bought a roll of thin plastic sheeting (from Screwfix, its for protecting furniture) & a can of greenhouse fumigator. The plan was to cover the top completely, taping the sheets together at joins to seal them, then gathering it at the bottom. Then put the fumigator inside & let it off/light it, seal the bottom & leave it for a couple of days. So the fumigator would be fumigating that bush only. 
    Nothing else worked as the blackfly cant all be reached by spray. And they breed! I was desperate after several years of various natural solutions & realising no spray was going to reach the ones hidden inside buds/under leaves etc. 

    But this harsh winter killed the little buggers so all was well. But if its a bad infestation & youve tried all other methods its worth a go. 

    Or less nuclear theres an 'safe' general bug killer you can mix with water in a large pump spray bottle. Its based on pyrethrum. If it was me id cover it for a few days immediately after spraying as it is toxic & you dont want to kill all bugs - just those ones. Plus having it closed means youll get more of the insects. 
  • thisisedcoxthisisedcox Posts: 2
    It's Euonymous scale for sure. Thank you.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Someone asked the same question yesterday - it's scale.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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