Keeping your Summer Garden Pest Free: Crape Myrtle Bark Scale
Crape Myrtle bark scale is a disease caused by scale insects that damage these specific trees by interfering with the tree’s nutrient intake, as well as interfering with the amount of sunlight that the tree is able to absorb. There are a variety of cold weather temperature sensitive horticulture oils that can be used to fight off Crape Myrtle bark scale during the winter, as well as pesticide treatment options for the Summer months.Â
Signs you’re suffering from crape myrtle bark scale:
- Gray/black sooty mold coating the bark of the treeÂ
- White egg sacks
- Sticky residue
- Increased amount of ants on/around the infected crape myrtle
- Pink fluidÂ
You can treat an infestation with:
- Horticulture oil
- Insecticides including ingredients such as imidacloprid or dinotefuran