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Scale insects on tree encouraging wasps

Keen_as_custardKeen_as_custard Posts: 3
in Problem solving
How you can help. We've had scale insects on a tree in our back garden for the last 3 years. It's a real pain as the tree is covered with wasps. Over the years I've treated this by cutting off the branches that they're on, but they still come back. Last Autumn I pruned the tree back quite hard thinking this would help too, unfortunately not.
Any suggestions as to how I can get rid of these for good? I don't really like using insecticides (and I've read that they are fairly resistant to it) but I've got to the point where I'm open to suggestions.
Any help is  welcome. 

Posts

  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Have you tried spraying methylated spirit on the tree.   My mum always used that on scale insects. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • debs64debs64 Posts: 5,184
    edited September 2023
    A scrubbing brush and some water shifted mine from the acer in my front garden. Took about 20 minutes . Not sure if the wasps are connected in any way. 
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    You could try a Winter Wash for Trees such as Vitax.
    It's made from plant and fish oils.

    The scale insect droppings contain sugar which is why the wasps appear.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • Keen_as_custardKeen_as_custard Posts: 3
    debs64 said:
    A scrubbing brush and some water shifted mine from the acer in my front garden. Took about 20 minutes . Not sure if the wasps are connected in any way. 
    Thanks for the reply. The problem is the tree is 15-20 feet tall. I was thing of something like the pressure washer on low setting with detergent. 
  • Keen_as_custardKeen_as_custard Posts: 3
    edited September 2023
    Lyn said:
    Have you tried spraying methylated spirit on the tree.   My mum always used that on scale insects. 
    I've not, although It might be tricky to do so on a ladder as the tree is 15-20 feet tall and it overhangs our fence onto the pavement. Knowing my luck someone might discard a cigarette near it. Which I suppose might resolve the scale bug problem. :)
  • coccinellacoccinella Posts: 1,428
    I got rid of them with Neem oil but it was a small shrub (holly). Now it is almost a tree and I haven't seen them back. You could try the pressure washer on the main trunk at low pressure but I doubt it will work.

    Luxembourg
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