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Olive tree got infested

alenavch26nTV7BT-Galenavch26nTV7BT-G Posts: 4
in Problem solving
Hello there! I am a new gardener and need help! My olive tree got infested. It has drops of whitish liquid on the leaves and some white transparent bugs here and there. Please see on the photos. What do you think it is and how do i treat it? Very thankful for any advice!

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  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Hi @alenavch26nTV7BT-G and welcome to the forum 😊 

    The whitish transparent marks in the second photo look like the residue from splashes of water containing a plant food. When watering try to keep the water off the leaves. 

    Im afraid the other pics are not clear enough to identify anything. Can you do some in-focus close-ups? 



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





  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I can't see anything of concern in the photos.
    As Dove says, the marks in the 2nd pic are residue from splashes of liquid and will wipe off with a damp cloth.

    Right clicking on the photos and opening them in a New Tab shows a much bigger photo and in the first pic I can see the casing (old skin) of a single bug that has moulted, so that's nothing of concern.
    The 3rd pic looks like splash marks from something, but could be marks left by sucking bugs. Can you see anything on the underside of those leaves?

    Olive trees are usually very bug-resistant.
    Does your tree look in good health generally?

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • alenavch26nTV7BT-Galenavch26nTV7BT-G Posts: 4
    Thank you for your prompt replies! I do not think those are water marks cos the leaves are far away from the ground and I never splash water on them. These marks are here and there on the tree leaves but only like 10% of all foliage is affected. I found other bugs or the shells of dead bugs there under the leaves (on the downturn side). I attach photos of better quality. The whitish drops are sticky and can be removed by scratching the leaf slightly. Could it be some plant scale or other desease/pests?
  • alenavch26nTV7BT-Galenavch26nTV7BT-G Posts: 4
    The tree looks pretty healthy in general but I notice that it sheds leaves a bit more, green leaves that are not dry or affected otherwise.
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    The white sticky substance could well be honeydew - i.e. the excrement of some sort of bug that's feeding on leaves above.
    I wonder if it's scale insects.
    If you look at the branches can you see any tiny brown 'shells' that look like tiny limpets stuck to the branches?
    If you lift one of the shells and there's stuff like cotton wool underneath, that's what they are.

    The only other bug that springs to mind is mealy bugs, but you'd usually find clusters of them.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • alenavch26nTV7BT-Galenavch26nTV7BT-G Posts: 4
    I got an advice from the specialised plant store, they looked at the photos and said it's aphids. They gave me some spray against them. Hopefully it works! But thanks for your engagemwnt anyways! I will get back to this forum if I ever need an advice about my plants! 
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