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Pest on Cherry tree branches

Rita.ShahRita.Shah Posts: 5
in Problem solving

imageHi I am new to this site and have just discovered these cases on a fair few branches of my ornamental Cherry Tree. Any idea what they might be and what I do about them. Not keen to lose the tree. Thanks in advance.

Posts

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,384

    They are scale insects.  Put some gloves on and rub them off.  The white fluffy stuff is protection for their eggs and once those hatch the tiny offspring (which are mobile unlike their parents) will distribute themselves all over your tree.

    Last edited: 01 June 2016 20:14:26

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • Rita.ShahRita.Shah Posts: 5

    Thank you Bob.  I will tackle that tomorrow. Any thing else I should consider. 

    I will try to catch the cases too and discard 

    any idea how they got there and to prevent for future? 

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,384

    The nymphs probably hitch a ride on birds to get to other trees.  Not much you can do prevention wise but you can use a winter tree wash at the end of the year to kill off any surviving young ones.  Here the RHS advice on them which I think may be Brown scale or possibly Chestnut scale:

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

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • PalustrisPalustris Posts: 4,307

    A little liquid soap on the brush would help too.

  • Rita.ShahRita.Shah Posts: 5

    Thanks both of you. Will tackle and keep eye out for future. 

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