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Scale insects

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saddad:
Morning all, :wave:
I have a Kaffir Lime in the house, which is small enough to inspect and clean to remove the little blighters but noticed a build up of them on my Apricot in the greenhouse does anybody have a good method to remove them... do they have an in the soil stage in their lifecycle?
I will but pruning off some new growth this week, but as the fruit is swelling I don't want to "poison" them, currently I rub the scales off and wash the stems with a weak detergent solution.  :sunny:

Obelixx:
Fingers crossed and touch wood I have not yet had a problem with scale insects but I do know they proliferate more easily in sheltered, indoor conditions.

If you want to stay organic your method of cleaning them off is good or you could maybe try nematodes for a bigger infestation.   The RHS also recommends a winter wash to control nymphs but too late this year.  Have a read of this - https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=224

Tee Gee:
I agree with Obelixx!

This is all I know about them;http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Content/S/Scale%20Insects/Scale%20Insects.htm

Obelixx:
Excellent info and advice as always Tee Gee.  You are a star.

Vinlander:
Scale insects are difficult to kill without systemic insecticides and I'd never use that on a fruit tree.

It's best to remove the scales before doing anything else, but they can keep eggs (and "crawlers") under the shell, so afterwards you need to spray or wipe all over with a safe insecticide - good luck with that since derris/rotenone has been banned (almost certainly for the wrong reasons) - the only thing left is proper pyrethrum (not the permethrin family which have been tweaked to make them much more persistent in your plant and subsequently in you - the clue is in the "perm").

I have tried swabbing the stems with 70% alcohol, being careful not to put it the leaves - if only 10% of the leaves have scales you can remove them without  ill effects - but the scales have always come back - I've never been able to do all my citrus at the same time, and depending on the season there can always be little "crawlers" wandering in the whole area.

Cheers.

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