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Unidentified insect

10671067 Posts: 1
in Talkback

Hello everyone,

I have an unidentified beast on my blackcurrant bush. The white appears to be an egg sack, which is like sticky, fibrous cotton wool when disturbed (2nd photo), inside which are tiny pink eggs. I'm afraid the photos are rather drunkenly on their side (they should be one move anti-clockwise).

 

image

 

image

 I'd be very grateful if anyone can enlighten me and recommend the best course of treatment.

Thanks,

Martin

Posts

  • Forester2Forester2 Posts: 1,477

    If you click on the pictures they flip round.  Could they be mealy bug?  Not sure but someone on here is sure to know.

  • PalustrisPalustris Posts: 4,307

    One of the scale insects. The cotton is actually wax which makes them impervious to water. You need to use a horticultural soap to dissolve the wax and then the insecticide part can kill them. Brushing gently with soapy water also works, as does dabbing each one with methylated spirits. Depends on how many there are on the bushes.

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,128

    Could they be these little beggars? http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=557

     


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





  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,384

    I think it's Brown scale - I have them on my Japanese plum but they like a whole range of shrubs:

    http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=455

     

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • Magical MeerkatMagical Meerkat Posts: 311

    I have these on my blackcurrant and redcurrants, I just scrape them off with a stick and dispose in the bin. They are scale insects of some type..

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