In this second installation of the insect invasion series, we are going to talk about scale insects. We talked about aphids in the first installation.
The second plant I saw a few weeks ago was at a library. It was a large Schefflera arboricola that I noticed right away.
Its shiny leaves caught my attention from across the room and it compelled me to walk over to inspect it. The problem was clear as I walked up to the plant and MY FEET STUCK TO THE CARPETING!
The plant was so covered with scale, the carpet was sticky with honeydew. I mentioned in the first installment honeydew is insect excretion. YUCK! Notice the honeydew dripping
The adams needle plant, also known as yucca filamentosa, is a popular ornamental plant known for its sword-shaped foliage and tall flower stalks. However, adams needle plants are prone to infestations by scales – tiny, sap-sucking insects that can weaken and damage the plant If you’ve noticed scales on your adams needle plant, taking prompt action to get rid of them is essential to restore the health and appearance of this eye-catching succulent.
Identifying Scale Infestations on Adams Needle Plants
The first step is learning how to spot scales on your adams needle plant. Look for the following signs:
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Small bumps or swelling on leaves and stems Scales may be brown, black, white, or yellow
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Sticky residue or white flecks on leaves. This is called honeydew and is secreted by feeding scales.
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Yellowing or wilting leaves. Heavy scale infestations can drain plant sap.
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Sooty mold growing on honeydew deposits. This black mold is harmless but unsightly.
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Visible crawler stages of scales moving on the plant,
Safely Removing Scales from Adams Needle Plant
If you spot a minor scale infection, you can try removing them manually:
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Prune off heavily infested stems and leaves.
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Use a soft toothbrush or cotton swab dipped in alcohol to scrub scales off of leaves.
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Spray the plant down with a strong jet of water to dislodge scales.
Treating Severe Scale Infestations on Adams Needle Plants
For more widespread infestations, use the following treatment methods:
Horticultural Oils
- Apply horticultural oil or dormant oil sprays to suffocate scale insects. Be sure to thoroughly coat all plant surfaces.
Insecticidal Soaps
- Spray insecticidal soap solutions directly onto scales and other areas of the plant. Repeat every 5-7 days until scales are gone.
Neem Oil
- Mix neem oil with water and spray onto the adams needle plant, including the stems and undersides of leaves where scales hide.
Systemic Insecticides
- Systemic insecticides that are absorbed by plants provide long-term scale control. Use according to label directions.
Preventing Future Scale Infestations
Once the scales are eliminated, keep your adams needle plant healthy and pest-free by:
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Quarantining new plants to ensure they are scale-free before introducing them.
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Pruning away any damaged growth that could harbor scale eggs.
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Hosing plants down regularly to deter scale establishment.
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Applying a light coating of horticultural oil monthly as a preventive treatment.
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Promoting beneficial insects like ladybugs that prey on scales.
With vigilance and prompt use of control methods, you can get rid of troublesome scales and maintain the good looks of your treasured adams needle plant. Don’t let these invasive pests detract from the unique beauty of this stunning succulent!
Two types of scale insects
There are two types of scale; hard or armored and soft. Hard scale does not produce honeydew, so we know that the scale on this plant is a soft scale.
The honeydew on this plant is excessive. Scale starts out as crawlers. Which means they crawl around until they find a place to settle down and start eating.
What is the problem?
So the first thing to do when you feel there is a problem with your plant is to find out what the problem is. Is it cultural? Water, light, soil, etc.
Or, does it have an insect or mite attacking? After you’ve found the origin of the problem, identify it. The identification of the problem, i.e. insect, is key in figuring out the solution and treatment.
If your plant has spider mites, for example, you are not going to use an insecticide. Mites aren’t insects.
The chemical wouldn’t work and spraying your plant with whatever chemical you have, is not a good idea. Use chemicals sparingly and only after completely reading the label. These leaflets are completely covered with honeydew (scale excrement)
This scale-insect-covered plant is unsavable, in this particular situation.
#1 It’s in a library.
#2 No one is paying too close attention to this plant or it would never have gotten this bad. (How could the custodian not feel the stickiness of the floor?!)
#3 Because it is a public building, they can’t spray anything. I’m not sure they would even be able to treat the soil. The weird thing is the same plant less than 20 feet away, is fine, but not for long.
Even in your home, deciding whether you want to take action or dump the plant is a personal decision. Some people don’t want to spray anything in their homes, even if organic or considered “safe”. A clean plant less than 20 feet away from the infested plant.
The first thing to do if you discover you have insects on your plants is to move them away from your other plants.
I can show you what happens when you don’t. Even if you do move them, the plants around them may already have bugs, but they may not be apparent yet.
Keep a close eye on plants that have been close to infested plants. Below is a bird’s nest fern covered in scale. Scale on a bird’s nest fern, Asplenium
I had this prayer plant below, tucked in among a group of other plants. Thus the reason I didn’t notice the problem right away.
I do know it started on a neoregelia bromeliad as I removed that first when I noticed it had this problem.
Not being sure what it, I asked an entomologist friend, and she said its an armored scale.
I should have known it wasn’t soft scale or mealybugs, because there is no honeydew. Honeydew is the sticky residue left by soft scales, mealybugs, and aphids after feeding on the plants. It is otherwise known as excrement. Armored scale on a prayer plant Armored scale
You can see how I thought this was mealybugs. The fuzzy white stuff looks like mealybugs. But again, no honeydew should have been my first clue.
I have never had this armored scale. And, I also found out it isn’t easy to get rid of. I threw the neoregelia away, it was so bad. I also threw away this prayer plant.
The COMPLETE Guide to Getting Rid of Scale Insects
FAQ
How do you get rid of the scale on Dracaena?
How do you permanently get rid of scale on plants?
What kills hard scale on plants?