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omg!!! bugs on my datura--really weird ones

Kittee-Bee Berns

17 years ago

i have the grossest unidentifed bug population on a branch of my beautiful purple datura. it just appeared one day, i don't think i've been that out of touch with it. they are the bright green color of aphids, but i think they are giant scale. they are definitely not mobile. in fact, they look like bumps on the branch, the only way you'd notice them is that they are green against the dark purple of the tree. they are sooo gross and i really want to get rid of them because the tree's leaves are turning yellow. i'm sure they are sucking the poor life out of my tree. they seem like they are only on that one branch, should i just cut the whole thing off?? it's a somewhat substantial piece of the tree. please don't tell me these are aphids, they are twice as big as any ladybug and i don't even think i could scrape them off...they are super attached.

i'm sorry i have no picture to post, i ruined my camera by falling into the ocean with it...

he'p he'p!!

xo

kittee

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Comments (2)

shiollie
17 years ago
Could you maybe do a search with what you think you have and find a pic?
dodsky
17 years ago
Kittee, take a look at the links I've listed and see if any of the insects match what's on your datura. If it is scale carefully scraping it off even though it might be difficult would be the most direct route to take with the fewest risks. If you do scrape it off, be careful not to dispurse the insects inside the scale when the shell is removed. It would be good to follow up with an insecticidal soap spray or light oil spray afterwards just in case there are eggs or you miss some. You can also try swabbing the scale with rubbing alcohol, but that might not penetrate the shell and get to the insects underneath. If it is scale, you definitely want to get rid of it before the young (crawlers) hatch and spread to other parts of the plant. A light oil product like Pyola (with pyrethrins) or Ultrafine oil might also do the trick. Oil insecticide products work by suffocating the insects. The pyrethrins in the Pyola product are an effective insecticide, and are organic. You can get the insect controls I've mentioned online at Gardens Alive or similar sites. There may be a chance of some leaf drop or damage from an insecticidal soap or oil spray, so keep that in mind too. Hope this info helps. Good luck.

http://www.ext.vt.edu/departments/entomology/ornamentals/part1.html

http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/orn/scales/green_scale.htm

Here's a link if you can take a photo of the insects, they might be able to ID them for you: http://bugguide.net/node/view/6/bgimage
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